Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

ऋषय ऊचुः । मोक्षमार्गं समासक्ता न वयं स्वर्गलिप्सवः । तस्मात्तपश्चरिष्यामः सरसीह विमुक्तये

Transliteration

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | mokṣamārgaṃ samāsaktā na vayaṃ svargalipsavaḥ | tasmāttapaścariṣyāmaḥ sarasīha vimuktaye

Translation

The sages said: “We are devoted to the path of liberation (mokṣa); we do not yearn for heaven. Therefore, O Indra, we shall practice austerity at this sacred lake for final release.”

Word by Word

• ऋषयः: the sages
• ऋषयः: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• मोक्षमार्गम्: the path to liberation
• मोक्षमार्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मोक्षस्य मार्गः)

• समासक्ताः: attached, devoted
• समासक्ताः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement/कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-सञ्ज्/सक्त (धातु) → समासक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural), क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (Negation particle)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural), सर्वनाम (Pronoun)

• स्वर्गलिप्सवः: desirers of heaven
• स्वर्गलिप्सवः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate noun/कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग + लिप्सु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); उपपद-तत्पुरुष (स्वर्गं लिप्सवः = desiring heaven)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, हेत्वर्थ-निर्देशक (therefore)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• चरिष्यामः: we shall practice
• चरिष्यामः: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• सरसि: in the lake
• सरसि: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• इह: here
• इह: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (Adverb of place)

• विमुक्तये: for liberation
• विमुक्तये: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Ṛṣis (Sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarasi-tīrtha (mokṣa-sādhana-sthala)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sages, serene and resolute, reply to Indra beside the lotus lake: they refuse heaven and choose austerity at the sarasi for final release.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Śakra)
• Saras (sacred lake)
• Mokṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Prefer liberation (mokṣa) over heavenly enjoyment; austerity at a sacred place is undertaken for final freedom.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A sacred lake (saras) associated with the sages’ āśrama in Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity/ascetic discipline) performed at the lake for the purpose of mokṣa.