Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

पश्चात्तापेन तेनैव प्रदह्यामि दिवानिशम् । पुरश्चरणदानेन तत्प्रसादं कुरुष्व मे

Transliteration

paścāttāpena tenaiva pradahyāmi divāniśam | puraścaraṇadānena tatprasādaṃ kuruṣva me

Translation

Durch eben diese Reue brenne ich bei Tag und bei Nacht. Durch die Gabe im Zusammenhang mit dem Puraścaraṇa, gewähre mir bitte jene Gnade.

Word by Word

• पश्चात्तापेन: by repentance
• पश्चात्तापेन: Karana (Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पश्चात्ताप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; कारण/हेतु (instrumental: 'by repentance')

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: None (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• प्रदह्यामि: I burn/am consumed
• प्रदह्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (by day)

• निशम्: by night
• निशम्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण कालवाचक (accusative of time: 'by night')

• पुरश्चरणदानेन: by the offering of expiatory practice (puraścaraṇa)
• पुरश्चरणदानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरश्चरण + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (पुरश्चरणस्य दानम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• तत्प्रसादम्: his grace/favor
• तत्प्रसादम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् + प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (तस्य प्रसादः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• कुरुष्व: do/grant
• कुरुष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (कुरुष्व)

• मे: to me/for me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन (enclitic)

Speaker

Duḥśīla (inferred; continuing plea before Durvāsā’s reply at 79)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Durvāsā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tormented petitioner, sleepless and ‘burning’ with remorse, begs the sage for a remedy: to perform puraścaraṇa with dāna so that the guru’s grace may be secured.

Characters & Entities

• puraścaraṇa
• prasāda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True repentance should mature into corrective action—disciplined practice and charity—seeking divine or guru-bestowed prasāda.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A specific tīrtha is not named in this verse; it remains within the broader Tīrthamāhātmya setting of the Nāgarakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Puraścaraṇa (a structured spiritual discipline, commonly japa with observances) along with dāna (ritual charity).