Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

यद्येवं वत्स मा कार्षीः साहसं पापसंभवम् । आत्मदेहविघातेन श्रूयतां वचनं मम

Transliteration

yadyevaṃ vatsa mā kārṣīḥ sāhasaṃ pāpasaṃbhavam | ātmadehavighātena śrūyatāṃ vacanaṃ mama

Translation

Wenn es so ist, mein Kind, begehe keine tollkühne Tat, die Sünde hervorbringt, indem du deinem eigenen Leib schadest. Höre meine Worte.

Word by Word

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Conditional connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तसूचक (if)

• evaṃ: thus
• evaṃ: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evaṃ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus)

• vatsa: dear child
• vatsa: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vatsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• mā: do not
• mā: Sambandha (Prohibition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (prohibitive particle used with injunctive/imperative)

• kārṣīḥ: you should do
• kārṣīḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; निषेध 'mā' सह (prohibitive aorist)

• sāhasam: rash act
• sāhasam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāhasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• pāpa-saṃbhavam: born of sin
• pāpa-saṃbhavam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: पापात् सम्भवम् = 'arising from sin' विशेषण (sāhasam)

• ātma-deha-vighātena: by harming your own body
• ātma-deha-vighātena: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + deha (प्रातिपदिक) + vighāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष) आत्मनः देहस्य विघातः = 'injury to one’s own body'

• śrūyatām: let (it) be heard
• śrūyatām: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense): 'let it be heard'

• vacanam: word/speech
• vacanam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

Speaker

Gautama

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śatānanda (addressed as vatsa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gautama gently restrains his son with an open palm gesture, face compassionate yet firm, warning against reckless self-harm and inviting him to listen; the āśrama and a nearby waterbody suggest the forthcoming dharmic remedy.

Characters & Entities

• Gautama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when seeking expiation, dharma discourages self-destruction; right means matter as much as right ends.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it is a prohibition against self-harm as a misguided form of atonement.