Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

ततः स चिन्तयामास किमेतत्कारणं स्थितम् । विरक्ताऽपि ममोत्कण्ठां येनैषा प्रकरोति न

Transliteration

tataḥ sa cintayāmāsa kimetatkāraṇaṃ sthitam | viraktā'pi mamotkaṇṭhāṃ yenaiṣā prakaroti na

Translation

Entonces reflexionó: «¿Qué causa obra aquí, por la cual ella —aunque desapegada— no enciende en mí anhelo alguno?»

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनन्तरार्थ (then)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular pronoun)

• cintayāmāsa: pondered / thought
• cintayāmāsa: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: cint (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• kim: what?
• kim: Karta (Predicate interrogative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Interrogative nominative)

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• kāraṇam: cause
• kāraṇam: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• sthitam: is present / stands
• sthitam: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (स्थितम् = established/present)

• viraktā: detached / indifferent
• viraktā: Karta (Predicate adjective of subject/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-rāj/vi-raj (धातु) → virakta (कृत्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (detached)

• api: even though
• api: Sambandha (Concessive particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अपि-कार (even/though)

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• utkaṇṭhām: longing / yearning
• utkaṇṭhām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: utkaṇṭhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• yena: by which
• yena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental singular: by which/whereby)

• eṣā: she (this one)
• eṣā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• prakaroti: does / produces
• prakaroti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Sentence particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (contextual narration within Nāgarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, still in meditative composure, opens his eyes slightly in reflective wonder, as if diagnosing an unseen force; the background remains quiet, emphasizing inner questioning.

Characters & Entities

• Parameśvara (implied)
• Devī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even divine beings illustrate discernment: one should inquire into causes behind inner movements (or their absence).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter, but this line is narrative-introspective and does not specify the site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it depicts inner inquiry (vicāra) arising alongside spiritual discipline.