Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

तस्य सार्धानि वर्षाणि सप्त कार्या प्रयत्नतः । त्वया रक्षा महाभाग वरं चेन्मम यच्छसि

Transliteration

tasya sārdhāni varṣāṇi sapta kāryā prayatnataḥ | tvayā rakṣā mahābhāga varaṃ cenmama yacchasi

Translation

For that person, you must diligently grant protection for seven and a half years, O noble one—if you are truly bestowing this boon upon me.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/of that (person)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• सार्धानि: with a half (and a half more)
• सार्धानि: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सार्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; वर्षाणि इति पदस्य विशेषणम् (agreeing with neuter plural)

• वर्षाणि: years
• वर्षाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), बहुवचन; कालपरिमाणम्

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या; वर्षाणि इति पदस्य विशेषणम् (indeclinable numeral used adjectivally)

• कार्या: to be performed/should be done
• कार्या: Vidhyartha (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कार्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: ‘to be done’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; वर्षाणि इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort, diligently
• प्रयत्नतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb); प्रकारे (manner)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr-karana (Agent expressed in instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृसाधन (agent/instrument)

• रक्षा: protection
• रक्षा: Karya/Pratijna (Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate noun)

• महाभाग: O greatly fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् भागः यस्य)

• वरम्: a boon
• वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; कर्म

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक निपात (conditional particle)

• मम: of me/my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• यच्छसि: you give/bestow
• यच्छसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

Speaker

Rājā Daśaratha

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: King Daśaratha petitions Śanaiścara for a boon: protection for seven and a half years for those who perform the rite; Śanaiścara appears solemn, granting conditional protection.

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Śanaiścara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even long cycles of difficulty can be met with disciplined dharma and divine protection when approached with devotion and effort.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it is a boon-request within the tīrtha-māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse specifies the duration of promised protection—seven and a half years—following the śānti practices described earlier.