Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

अपि वर्षशतेनापि किं पुनः स्तोकवासरैः । तस्माद्वद महाभाग सुखोपायं च देहिनाम्

Transliteration

api varṣaśatenāpi kiṃ punaḥ stokavāsaraiḥ | tasmādvada mahābhāga sukhopāyaṃ ca dehinām

Translation

Nicht einmal in hundert Jahren wäre dies zu vollbringen — wie viel weniger in wenigen Tagen. Darum, o Hochbegnadeter, verkünde mir einen leichten Weg für die verkörperten Wesen.

Word by Word

• अपि: even
• अपि: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अपि-कार (even)

• वर्षशतेन: by/within a hundred years
• वर्षशतेन: Karana (Instrument/Measure/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वर्षाणां शतम्)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अपि-कार (even)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogation/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative particle used adverbially)

• पुनः: then; moreover
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पुनरुक्ति/अधिक्य (moreover; again)

• स्तोकवासरैः: by a few days
• स्तोकवासरैः: Karana (Instrument/Measure/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तोक + वासर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (स्तोकाः वासराः)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति तद्धित-निपातवत्/अव्ययीभावार्थे, हेत्वर्थक (therefore; from that reason)

• वद: tell (me)
• वद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• महाभाग: O greatly fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् भागः यस्य)

• सुखोपायम्: an easy means
• सुखोपायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख + उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुखस्य उपायः)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• देहिनाम्: of embodied beings
• देहिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

Speaker

King of Ānarta (continuing)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahābhāga Muni (the greatly fortunate sage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, earnest and slightly distressed, emphasizes the impossibility even in a hundred years; the sage appears compassionate, ready to reveal a simplifying doctrine.

Characters & Entities

• sukhopāya
• dehin

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is taught with compassion for real constraints, offering a simplified path without losing spiritual potency.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse requests a general, easy method related to tīrtha fruits.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None prescribed yet; it is a direct request for a “sukhopāya” suitable for ordinary people.