Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

यदा गर्भाद्विनिष्क्रांतः स्पृश्यते विष्णुमायया । तदा नाशं व्रजत्याशु सत्यमेतदसंशयम्

Transliteration

yadā garbhādviniṣkrāṃtaḥ spṛśyate viṣṇumāyayā | tadā nāśaṃ vrajatyāśu satyametadasaṃśayam

Translation

„Doch wenn er aus dem Mutterleib hervorkommt und von Viṣṇus Māyā berührt wird, dann vergeht jenes (Wissen und jene Entsagung) rasch — dies ist Wahrheit, ohne Zweifel.“

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adverbial (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (when)

• गर्भात्: from the womb
• गर्भात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; अपादान

• विनिष्क्रान्तः: having come out
• विनिष्क्रान्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि (उपसर्ग) + नि (उपसर्ग) + √क्रम् (धातु) → निष्क्रान्त (कृदन्त, भूतकृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; विशेषण (जन्तुः implied)

• स्पृश्यते: is touched / is affected
• स्पृश्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• विष्णु-मायया: by Viṣṇu's māyā
• विष्णु-मायया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; करण (instrumental); तत्पुरुष-समास (विष्णोः माया)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adverbial (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदा-कालवाचक (then)

• नाशम्: destruction / loss
• नाशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मपद

• व्रजति: goes / comes to
• व्रजति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शीघ्रार्थक-क्रियाविशेषण (quickly)

• सत्यम्: true
• सत्यम्: Predicate/Complement (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; वाक्य-प्रत्यय (predicate)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta/Predicate support (निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश (this)

• असंशयम्: without doubt
• असंशयम्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अ (निषेध) + संशय (प्रातिपदिक) → असंशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (without doubt)

Speaker

Garbha

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-sattama

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A newborn emerging from the womb as a subtle dark veil (māyā) descends, dimming a prior inner radiance; sages observe, emphasizing the tragedy of forgetfulness.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Māyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It frames māyā as the force that obscures innate spiritual insight once one enters worldly life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is specified in this verse; it supports the broader māhātmya narrative context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse explains a metaphysical transition at birth.