Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 124

Devanagari script

यो ज्ञास्यति मम ज्येष्ठः सर्वशास्त्रविचक्षणः । तत्त्वमेनं समादाय मरणे कृतनिश्चयम्

Transliteration

yo jñāsyati mama jyeṣṭhaḥ sarvaśāstravicakṣaṇaḥ | tattvamenaṃ samādāya maraṇe kṛtaniścayam

Translation

Mein älterer Bruder, kundig in allen Śāstras, wird gewiss die Wahrheit über ihn erkennen. Nimm ihn mit, auch wenn er den Tod beschlossen hat.

Word by Word

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• jñāsyati: will know
• jñāsyati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• jyeṣṭhaḥ: elder (son/brother)
• jyeṣṭhaḥ: Karta (Subject-apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyeṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; ‘मम’ इति सम्बन्धेन

• sarva-śāstra-vicakṣaṇaḥ: skilled in all scriptures
• sarva-śāstra-vicakṣaṇaḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + vicakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषभाव: सर्वेषु शास्त्रेषु विचक्षणः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; jyeṣṭhaḥ इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• tattvam: truth, reality
• tattvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• enam: this one, him
• enam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• samādāya: having taken
• samādāya: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sam-ā-√dā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund): having taken/accepted

• maraṇe: in death, regarding death
• maraṇe: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• kṛta-niścayam: one who has made a resolve (about death)
• kṛta-niścayam: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (√kṛ, क्त) + niścaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारयभाव: कृतः निश्चयः यस्य/कृतनिश्चयः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; enam इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Baka

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kailāsa

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A distressed figure resolved on death is restrained by a companion who invokes an elder learned in all śāstras; the moment is intimate, ethical, and urgent—decision suspended in favor of truth-seeking.

Characters & Entities

• Baka
• Indradyumna (implied: 'enam')
• Ulūka (implied: 'my elder', clarified in next verse)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When one is trapped in despair, turning to a truly learned guide can reveal truth and reopen the way of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; the emphasis is on seeking higher guidance within the pilgrimage framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it advises taking the person to a wiser elder for discernment.