Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

कस्त्वं ब्रूहि महाभाग मम मार्गं रुणत्सि यः । अगम्यं केनचिल्लोके सर्वैरपि सुरासुरैः

Transliteration

kastvaṃ brūhi mahābhāga mama mārgaṃ ruṇatsi yaḥ | agamyaṃ kenacilloke sarvairapi surāsuraiḥ

Translation

“Who are you? Tell me, O fortunate one—you who obstruct my course, which in this world is inaccessible to anyone, even to all gods and demons.”

Word by Word

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम

• ब्रूहि: tell; speak
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक: महा + भाग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, संबोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; विशेषण-सम्बोधन

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम

• मार्गम्: path; way
• मार्गम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• रुणत्सि: you obstruct
• रुणत्सि: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; धातु-रूप: रुणद्धि/रुणत्सि (to obstruct)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• अगम्यम्: inaccessible
• अगम्यम्: Karma/Predicative (Contextual)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अगम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपसर्गार्थ (unreachable)

• केनचित्: by anyone
• केनचित्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् + चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक + निपात)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; अनिश्चित-प्रयोग (indefinite)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• सर्वैः: by all
• सर्वैः: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• अपि: even; also
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थ (particle: even/also)

• सुरासुरैः: by gods and demons
• सुरासुरैः: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + असुर (प्रातिपदिक-द्वन्द्व)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व

Speaker

Śanaiścara (Manda)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śanaiścara confronts an unseen blocker, eyes narrowed, asserting that even gods and demons cannot access his path; the scene feels like a cosmic roadway being barred.

Characters & Entities

• Śanaiścara
• Daśaratha
• Sura
• Asura

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pride in power is challenged by dharmic courage; true authority is measured by purpose and righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly named in this verse; it is part of a tīrtha-māhātmya narrative passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.