Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

ततः किंचित्ससंज्ञोऽभून्मंदीभूते दिवाकरे । चिन्तयामास चित्तेन क्वाहं गच्छामि सांप्रतम्

Transliteration

tataḥ kiṃcitsasaṃjño'bhūnmaṃdībhūte divākare | cintayāmāsa cittena kvāhaṃ gacchāmi sāṃpratam

Translation

Then, when the Sun had grown faint, he regained a little consciousness and pondered in his heart, “Where shall I go now?”

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (then)

• किंचित्: somewhat
• किंचित्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंचित् (सर्वनाम/अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाणवाचक (a little/somewhat)

• ससंज्ञः: conscious, having awareness
• ससंज्ञः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपसर्गपूर्वक विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• अभूत्: became
• अभूत्: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मन्दीभूते: when (it) had become dim
• मन्दीभूते: Adhikaraṇa (Locative absolute component)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्दी + भू (धातु) → मन्दीभूत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन (Locative singular)

• दिवाकरे: in the sun (day-maker)
• दिवाकरे: Adhikaraṇa (Locative absolute component)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन (Locative singular)

• चिन्तयामास: thought, reflected
• चिन्तयामास: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Periphrastic perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• चित्तेन: with (his) mind
• चित्तेन: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• क्व: where
• क्व: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नवाचक देशवाचक (interrogative adverb: where)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• गच्छामि: go
• गच्छामि: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• साम्प्रतम्: now
• साम्प्रतम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साम्प्रतम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (now/at present)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The traveler props himself up slightly, eyes searching the horizon; the sun is dimming, sky turning violet; the desert is empty and vast.

Characters & Entities

• Divākara (Sun)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In moments of weakness, sincere self-inquiry becomes the doorway to guidance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not explicitly named in this verse; it functions as transitional narration within the tīrtha-māhātmya episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse focuses on mental state and predicament.