Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

अद्यैतत्कर्म कर्तुं च श्रुतिबाह्यं कथंचन । तव वाक्यमपि त्र्यक्ष नान्यथा कर्तुमु त्सहे

Transliteration

adyaitatkarma kartuṃ ca śrutibāhyaṃ kathaṃcana | tava vākyamapi tryakṣa nānyathā kartumu tsahe

Translation

Diese Handlung heute zu vollziehen, würde auf irgendeine Weise außerhalb der vedischen Vorschrift (Śruti) liegen. Und doch, o Triakṣa, wage ich nicht, anders zu handeln als nach deinem Wort.

Word by Word

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time adjunct/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: today/now)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter, accusative singular; demonstrative adjective)

• कर्म: act/rite
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (neuter, accusative singular)

• कर्तुम्: to do
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana/Artha (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive), ‘to do’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction: and)

• श्रुति-बाह्यम्: outside the Veda/contrary to śruti
• श्रुति-बाह्यम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + बाह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (श्रुतेः बाह्यः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (neuter, accusative singular)

• कथंचन: in any way
• कथंचन: Prakāra-adhikaraṇa (Manner adjunct/प्रकाराधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in any way/somehow)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (genitive singular: of you)

• वाक्यम्: statement/command
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र कर्मरूपे (neuter, accusative singular as object)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis/निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: even/also)

• त्र्यक्ष: O three-eyed one
• त्र्यक्ष: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (त्रीणि अक्षीणि यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (vocative singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Prakāra-adhikaraṇa (Manner adjunct/प्रकाराधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: otherwise)

• कर्तुम्: to do
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana/Artha (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive)

• उत्सहे: I am able/dare
• उत्सहे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्सह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (present indicative, 1st person singular)

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapāleśvara-kṣetra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee-priest, conflicted about Vedic propriety, stands before the Three-eyed Śiva, hands folded, voicing that the act seems outside śruti yet he will not transgress Śiva’s command.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Śiva (Tryakṣa/Trilocana)
• Śruti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma balances śruti-based norms with divine instruction; humility before the Supreme is central.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named in this verse; the teaching undergirds tīrtha narratives by emphasizing rightful authority and intention in worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An acknowledgement that an act may be śruti-external, yet the speaker resolves to follow Śiva’s directive rather than innovate independently.