Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

अप्यहं नरकं रौद्रं प्रगच्छामींद्रवल्लभे । हरकांता समादेशान्न स्वर्गेऽपि तवाज्ञया

Transliteration

apyahaṃ narakaṃ raudraṃ pragacchāmīṃdravallabhe | harakāṃtā samādeśānna svarge'pi tavājñayā

Translation

„O Geliebte Indras, selbst wenn ich in eine schreckliche Hölle gehen muss, werde ich gehen. Auf Geheiß der Geliebten Haras werde ich nicht einmal im Himmel bleiben, nur aufgrund deines Befehls.“

Word by Word

• अपि: even
• अपि: Particle (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ ‘even’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘I’

• नरकम्: hell
• नरकम्: Karma (Goal/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — destination as object of motion

• रौद्रम्: terrible
• रौद्रम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — adjective qualifying ‘नरकम्’

• प्रगच्छामि: I go
• प्रगच्छामि: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — ‘I go’

• इन्द्रवल्लभे: O beloved of Indra
• इन्द्रवल्लभे: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वल्लभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘इन्द्रस्य वल्लभा’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन — address to Indrāṇī

• हरकान्ता: Hara’s beloved (Pārvatī)
• हरकान्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक) + कान्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘हरस्य कान्ता’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — subject (Pārvatī)

• समादेशात्: from the command/at the command
• समादेशात्: Apadana (Ablative/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समादेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन — ablative ‘from/according to the command’

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

• स्वर्गे: in heaven
• स्वर्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — locative ‘in heaven’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Particle (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ ‘even’

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी, एकवचन — ‘your’

• आज्ञया: by (your) command/permission
• आज्ञया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — instrumental ‘by/with (your) permission/command’

Speaker

Viṣakanyakā

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śakrāṇī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The poison-maiden speaks with unwavering courage: one hand still in añjali, posture upright; imagery of hell and heaven implied as distant backdrops, while Devī’s command is central.

Characters & Entities

• Indravallabhā (Śacī)
• Hara
• Harakāntā (Pārvatī)
• Naraka
• Svarga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Obedience to the highest divine command outweighs even heavenly reward; dharma is chosen over comfort.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the chapter’s tīrtha-māhātmya narrative arc; the specific site is not named in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is on niṣṭhā (steadfastness) and prioritizing the Goddess’s command.