Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

कुरु कृत्यं द्विजश्रेष्ठ देवानामार्तिनाशनम् । अन्यथा विबुधाः सर्वे नाशं यास्यंति कृत्स्नशः

Transliteration

kuru kṛtyaṃ dvijaśreṣṭha devānāmārtināśanam | anyathā vibudhāḥ sarve nāśaṃ yāsyaṃti kṛtsnaśaḥ

Translation

Vollbringe diese Pflicht, o Bester der Zweimalgeborenen: nimm den Göttern ihr Leid. Andernfalls werden alle Himmelswesen gänzlich zugrunde gehen.

Word by Word

• कुरु: do; perform
• कुरु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

• कृत्यम्: duty; what should be done
• कृत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• द्विजश्रेष्ठ: O best of the twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विजश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• आर्ति-नाशनम्: destroying the distress
• आर्ति-नाशनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (adjectival) कृत्यम् इति

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

• विबुधाः: the gods; the wise ones
• विबुधाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विबुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् (adjectival) विबुधाः इति

• नाशम्: destruction
• नाशम्: Gati/Karma (Goal as object/गतिकर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• यास्यन्ति: will go; will meet (with)
• यास्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); परस्मैपदम्

• कृत्स्नशः: entirely
• कृत्स्नशः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृत्स्नशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; परिमाण/समग्रतावाचक (adverb: wholly, entirely)

Speaker

Śakra (Indra)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Naimiṣa (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dadhīci (addressed as dvija-śreṣṭha)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine envoy or assembly urges a radiant brāhmaṇa-sage to perform a decisive act to relieve the devas’ distress; the atmosphere is tense, with the shadow of cosmic collapse looming.

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Dadhīci
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma sometimes demands decisive action for the protection of cosmic order and the welfare of many.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific location is named in this verse; it is part of the broader Māhātmya narrative setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is stated; it is an injunction to fulfill a necessary dharmic obligation.