Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

त्वया चात्र न कर्तव्यमहं ते मित्रतां गतः । नाशयिष्यामि ते मृत्युं यद्यपि स्यान्महत्तरम्

Transliteration

tvayā cātra na kartavyamahaṃ te mitratāṃ gataḥ | nāśayiṣyāmi te mṛtyuṃ yadyapi syānmahattaram

Translation

„Du darfst dies hier nicht tun. Ich bin dein Freund geworden. Ich werde deinen Tod abwenden, selbst wenn er überaus furchtbar wäre.“

Word by Word

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

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

• कर्तव्यम्: to be done / should be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Karya (Obligation/कार्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; अर्थः—‘कर्तुं योग्यं/कर्तव्यं’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• ते: for you / to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (enclitic form)

• मित्रताम्: friendship
• मित्रताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्रता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• गतः: having attained
• गतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृत् (past participle), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः—‘गतः’ = ‘has attained’

• नाशयिष्यामि: I will destroy
• नाशयिष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश्/नाशय् (धातु; णिच् causative)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (enclitic form)

• मृत्युम्: death
• मृत्युम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• अपि: even though
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis/अपि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-अव्यय (even/also)

• स्यात्: may be / were to be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• महत्तरम्: greater
• महत्तरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तरप् (तुलनार्थक)
• Form: विशेषण (adjective), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (contextual intervention)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Indradyumna

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A compassionate, authoritative figure steps between the king and the fire, raising a hand in prohibition and reassurance, declaring friendship and promising to ward off death.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Indradyumna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is protected through compassion and right counsel; a sage redirects a seeker away from self-destruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The protective counsel occurs within the Naimiṣāraṇya narrative frame, highlighting it as a refuge where dharma is upheld.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A direct prohibition is given—‘do not do this’; it is ethical instruction rather than a ritual rule.