Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

तदा प्राज्ञो विजानीयादासन्नं मृत्युमात्मनः । उष्ट्ररासभयानेन स्वप्ने यो याति दक्षिणाम्

Transliteration

tadā prājño vijānīyādāsannaṃ mṛtyumātmanaḥ | uṣṭrarāsabhayānena svapne yo yāti dakṣiṇām

Translation

Then the wise should know that his own death is near. If, in a dream, he journeys south riding a camel or a donkey, that too is such an omen.

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: 'then')

• प्राज्ञः: a wise person
• प्राज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विजानीयात्: should know/recognize
• विजानीयात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• आसन्नम्: near, imminent
• आसन्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आसन्न (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √सद्/सीद् + उपसर्ग आ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• मृत्युम्: death
• मृत्युम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• उष्ट्ररासभयानेन: by a camel-and-donkey vehicle (ride)
• उष्ट्ररासभयानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उष्ट्र + रासभ + यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (उष्ट्र-रासभयोः यानम्)

• स्वप्ने: in a dream
• स्वप्ने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वप्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• दक्षिणाम्: to the south (direction)
• दक्षिणाम्: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म-गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; दिशावाचक (direction)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) addressing the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative man awakens from a troubling dream: he is seen traveling southward on a camel or donkey, with the southern direction darkened and Yama’s presence implied at the horizon.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When omens indicate life’s end, wisdom lies in acceptance and intensified dharmic conduct rather than negligence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse concerns directional dream-omens.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed.