Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 183

Devanagari script

नान्यथा वचनं भावि मम शिष्यस्य पन्नग । कञ्चित्कालं प्रतीक्षस्व तस्मात्सर्पवपुःस्थितः

Transliteration

nānyathā vacanaṃ bhāvi mama śiṣyasya pannaga | kañcitkālaṃ pratīkṣasva tasmātsarpavapuḥsthitaḥ

Translation

„O Schlange, das Wort meines Schülers wird nicht anders ausfallen; gewiss wird es sich erfüllen. Warte daher eine Weile und bleibe in deiner Schlangengestalt.“

Word by Word

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

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (otherwise)

• वचनम्: word / statement
• वचनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भावि: will be / destined to be
• भावि: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भू (धातु) + इन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: भविष्यदर्थक-कृदन्त (future sense adjective) 'भाविन्/भावि'; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वचनस्य विशेषणम्

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शिष्यस्य: of (my) disciple
• शिष्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पन्नग: O serpent
• पन्नग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पन्नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• कञ्चित्: some
• कञ्चित्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-परिमाणवाचक (some)

• कालम्: time
• कालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रतीक्षस्व: wait
• प्रतीक्षस्व: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; धातुः: ईक्ष् (to look) → प्रतीक्ष् (to wait)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति हेत्वर्थक-अव्ययप्रायः (ablatival adverb: therefore/from that)

• सर्पवपुःस्थितः: remaining in a serpent body
• सर्पवपुःस्थितः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्प + वपुस् + स्थित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: 'सर्पस्य वपुः' (serpent-body) + 'स्थित' (standing/remaining)

Speaker

Suvrata (implied by immediate narrative context continuing into his direct speech)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Serpent (pannaga/nāga)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage addresses a nāga: the serpent remains coiled, listening; the sage’s gesture is calming, indicating ‘wait’; the disciple stands nearby, embodying steadfast truth.

Characters & Entities

• Suvrata
• śiṣya (disciple)
• pannaga (serpent)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A truthful vow and a saint’s assurance establish certainty; karmic outcomes unfold in their proper time.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The larger unit is a Tīrthamāhātmya in the Nāgarakhaṇḍa; this verse focuses on the serpent’s state rather than naming the site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Patience and remaining in the destined condition are advised here; later verses specify japa and conduct in relation to a Śiva-temple festival.