Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

अतो मच्छासनं कार्यं भव द्भ्यामविलंबितम् । इत्युक्तौ नरदेवेन तौ तथेत्यूचतुर्भयात्

Transliteration

ato macchāsanaṃ kāryaṃ bhava dbhyāmavilaṃbitam | ityuktau naradevena tau tathetyūcaturbhayāt

Translation

Therefore, my command must be carried out by you both without delay. Thus addressed by the king, the two replied, “So be it,” out of fear.

Word by Word

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (Logical connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/तस्मात्-अर्थक (therefore)

• मत्: my
• मत्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case) एकवचन-रूप (enclitic stem ‘मत्’ = ‘of me/my’) used in compound

• शासनम्: command/order
• शासनम्: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; ‘कार्यं’ इत्यस्य विशेष्य (subject complement)

• कार्यम्: to be done/should be done
• कार्यम्: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ + यत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be done)

• भवद्भ्याम्: by you two
• भवद्भ्याम्: Karana (Agent-instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (honorific pronoun), तृतीया (3rd case), द्विवचन; कर्तृकरणभाव (agent/instrument)

• अविलम्बितम्: without delay/immediately
• अविलम्बितम्: Adhikarana (Adverbial/अधिकरण-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविलम्बित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; अवि+√लम्ब्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) used adverbially; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थ (without delay)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• उक्तौ: (the) two addressed/so told
• उक्तौ: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) from √वच्; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), द्विवचन; ‘तौ’ इत्यस्य विशेषण (the two who were addressed/said-to)

• नरदेवेन: by the king (god among men)
• नरदेवेन: Karana (Agent-instrumental/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (नरः एव देवः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; कर्ता-निर्देश (agent)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), द्विवचन

• तथा: so/accordingly
• तथा: Sambandha (Discourse/adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (so/thus)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक

• ऊचतुः: they two said
• ऊचतुः: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन

• भयात्: out of fear
• भयात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (ablative of cause)

Speaker

Narrator (describing Naradeva’s speech and the two brāhmaṇa sons’ reply)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king issues a sharp, time-bound order; two young brāhmaṇa sons respond with forced assent, their faces showing apprehension.

Characters & Entities

• Naradeva (king)
• two brāhmaṇa sons (viprasutau)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It highlights the pressure of worldly power and the moral tension that can arise when fear, not discernment, drives compliance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative statement about an order and a fearful assent.