Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

इंद्रद्युम्न उवाच । तपसः किं प्रभावोऽयं दानस्य नियमस्य च । यदायुरीदृशं जातं बकत्वेऽपि वदस्व नः

Transliteration

iṃdradyumna uvāca | tapasaḥ kiṃ prabhāvo'yaṃ dānasya niyamasya ca | yadāyurīdṛśaṃ jātaṃ bakatve'pi vadasva naḥ

Translation

Indradyumna sprach: „Welche Kraft liegt in Tapas (Askese), in Dāna (Gabe) und in Niyama (heiliger Zucht), dass ein so langes Leben entstand, selbst im Zustand als Baka? Sage es uns.“

Word by Word

• इंद्रद्युम्नः: Indradyumna
• इंद्रद्युम्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इंद्रद्युम्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• तपसः: of austerity
• तपसः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Visheshya (Interrogative complement/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रभावः: power, effect
• प्रभावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (Demonstrative qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• दानस्य: of giving, charity
• दानस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• नियमस्य: of observance, restraint
• नियमस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular), सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• आयुः: lifespan
• आयुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ईदृशम्: such, like this
• ईदृशम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• जातम्: has arisen, has become
• जातम्: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (resultant state)

• बकत्वे: in the state of being a crane
• बकत्वे: Adhikarana (Location/state/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बकत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), अपि = even/also

• वदस्व: tell (please)
• वदस्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• नः: to us / for us
• नः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Gen./Dat.), बहुवचनार्थे (1st person plural enclitic)

Speaker

Indradyumna

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ghṛtakambala

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Baka

Visual Art Cues

Scene: King Indradyumna, regal yet humble, questions the ancient Baka about the power of austerity, charity, and vows that produced extraordinary lifespan despite a cursed form.

Characters & Entities

• Indradyumna
• Tapas
• Dāna
• Niyama
• Baka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas, dāna, and niyama are presented as real forces shaping destiny; dharmic discipline bears fruit across lives and conditions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of the local tīrtha-mahātmya narrative that will connect merit to the Śiva-site context (Jāgeśvara) and its sanctifying power.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The triad—tapas (austerity), dāna (charity), and niyama (observances/vows)—is invoked as the operative dharmic discipline, though no single rite is specified here.