Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

अन्धक उवाच । गतो मे दानवो भावः सांप्रतं तव किंकरः । भविष्यामि न सन्देहः सत्येनात्मानमालभे

Transliteration

andhaka uvāca | gato me dānavo bhāvaḥ sāṃprataṃ tava kiṃkaraḥ | bhaviṣyāmi na sandehaḥ satyenātmānamālabhe

Translation

Andhaka sprach: „Meine dämonische Natur ist nun gewichen; jetzt bin ich dein Diener. Ohne Zweifel werde ich so sein—ich verpflichte mich bei der Wahrheit.“

Word by Word

• अन्धकः: Andhaka
• अन्धकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• गतः: gone, departed
• गतः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) + गत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतभावे (past participle)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दानवः: demon (Dānava)
• दानवः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भावः: state, nature
• भावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• साम्प्रतम्: now, at present
• साम्प्रतम्: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साम्प्रत (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययभाव)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• किंकरः: servant
• किंकरः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भविष्यामि: I shall be
• भविष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• सन्देहः: doubt
• सन्देहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सत्येन: by truth, with truth
• सत्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• आत्मानम्: myself
• आत्मानम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आलभे: I pledge/undertake (lit. touch/lay hold)
• आलभे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; अर्थे ‘प्रतिजाने/स्पृशामि’ (I pledge/undertake)

Speaker

Andhaka

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Andhaka, formerly daitya, stands with folded hands before Śaṅkara, declaring his demonic nature has departed and pledging himself by truth as a servant.

Characters & Entities

• Andhaka
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A sincere vow grounded in truth seals inner conversion: devotion is proven through steadfast service and changed character.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it reinforces the Tīrthamāhātmya’s emphasis on purification and dharmic transformation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A truth-bound vow (satya-pratiśruti) is implied; no external ritual details are given.