Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

श्वः कार्यमद्य कुर्वीत पूर्वाह्णे चापराह्णिकम् । न हि प्रतीक्षते मृत्युः कृतं वास्य न वा कृतम्

Transliteration

śvaḥ kāryamadya kurvīta pūrvāhṇe cāparāhṇikam | na hi pratīkṣate mṛtyuḥ kṛtaṃ vāsya na vā kṛtam

Translation

Was morgen zu tun ist, tue heute; und was für den Nachmittag bestimmt ist, tue am Vormittag. Denn der Tod wartet nicht, ob das Werk vollbracht ist oder nicht.

Word by Word

• श्वः: tomorrow
• श्वः: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्वः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: tomorrow)

• कार्यम्: what should be done, duty
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; ‘to-be-done’ sense

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: today)

• कुर्वीत: should do
• कुर्वीत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• पूर्वाह्णे: in the forenoon
• पूर्वाह्णे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व-अह्न (प्रातिपदिक); पूर्व + अह्न
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

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

• अपराह्णिकम्: afternoon rite/act
• अपराह्णिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर-अह्निक (प्रातिपदिक); अपर + अह्निक
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; (कर्म)

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

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/अवधारणे निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• प्रतीक्षते: waits (for)
• प्रतीक्षते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• मृत्युः: death
• मृत्युः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• कृतम्: done
• कृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; ‘done’ (object of ‘waits for’ in sense)

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive: or)

• अस्य: of this person / his
• अस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

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

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• कृतम्: not done / done (in contrast)
• कृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Aśvasena

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic moment: a teacher warns a listener that tomorrow’s work must be done today, for death does not wait; the atmosphere is sober and contemplative.

Characters & Entities

• Mṛtyu (Death)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Impermanence demands immediate practice—postponed dharma may never be completed.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse gives a universal dharma teaching on urgency.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A general injunction to perform duties promptly; it supports the request for a one-day vrata.