Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

त्रिशंकुरुवाच । यदि मां विप्रशार्दूल न त्वं याजयितुं क्षमः । स्वर्गप्रदेन यज्ञेन वपुषानेन वै विभो

Transliteration

triśaṃkuruvāca | yadi māṃ vipraśārdūla na tvaṃ yājayituṃ kṣamaḥ | svargapradena yajñena vapuṣānena vai vibho

Translation

Triśaṅku said: O tiger among brāhmaṇas, if you are not able to officiate for me with a sacrifice that grants heaven—so that with this very body I may attain it, O mighty one—

Word by Word

• त्रिशङ्कुः: Triśaṅku
• त्रिशङ्कुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिशङ्कु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional conjunction)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विप्रशार्दूल: O tiger among Brahmins
• विप्रशार्दूल: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (श्रेष्ठो विप्रः)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• याजयितुम्: to officiate (make me perform sacrifice)
• याजयितुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: णिच्-प्रत्ययान्त causative + तुमुन् (infinitive); परार्थक (to cause to sacrifice)

• क्षमः: capable
• क्षमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (समर्थ)

• स्वर्गप्रदेन: granting heaven
• स्वर्गप्रदेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्वर्गं प्रददाति)

• यज्ञेन: by a sacrifice
• यज्ञेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• वपुषा: with (this) body
• वपुषा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• अनेन: with this
• अनेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• विभो: O mighty one
• विभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Triśaṅku

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vasiṣṭha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Triśaṅku, resolute and proud, addresses Vasiṣṭha; his gesture is assertive, indicating demand for a heaven-granting yajña enabling bodily ascent.

Characters & Entities

• Triśaṅku
• Vasiṣṭha
• Yajña
• Svarga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It shows how intense desire for extraordinary results can pressure religious authority, creating conflict between aspiration and dharmic feasibility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is stated in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A ‘svarga-prada’ yajña (heaven-bestowing sacrifice) is requested, specifically aiming at bodily ascent.