Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

त्वया कुटीरकं कार्यं मठस्यास्य विदूरतः । प्रवेशो नैव कार्यस्तु ममात्रास्तं गते रवौ

Transliteration

tvayā kuṭīrakaṃ kāryaṃ maṭhasyāsya vidūrataḥ | praveśo naiva kāryastu mamātrāstaṃ gate ravau

Translation

Debes construir una pequeña choza a cierta distancia de este monasterio. Y no debes entrar aquí mientras yo esté presente, hasta que el sol se haya puesto.

Word by Word

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन (singular)

• कुटीरकम्: a hut
• कुटीरकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुटीरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (singular)

• कार्यम्: to be made / should be done
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय) → कार्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (singular); विधेय-विशेषण (predicative adjective) = ‘to be done/should be made’

• मठस्य: of the monastery
• मठस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (singular)

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun) used adjectivally, पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (singular)

• विदूरतः: from a distance / far away
• विदूरतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विदूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb)

• प्रवेशः: entry
• प्रवेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रवेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन (singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निषेध-अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), निषेध (negation particle)

• एव: indeed / at all
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• कार्यः: should be done
• कार्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय) → कार्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन (singular); विधेय-विशेषण (predicative) = ‘to be done’

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), अव्यय-निपात (contrast/emphasis)

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

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• अस्तम्: to setting (down)
• अस्तम्: Gati (Directional/गति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (directional: ‘to setting’)

• गते: when (it) has gone
• गते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय) → गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन (singular); सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• रवौ: when the sun (is)
• रवौ: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन (singular); सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

Speaker

The ascetic brāhmaṇa (guru) laying down disciplinary rules

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Trisaṅgama

Type: sangam

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A guru points to a spot away from the monastery, instructing the disciple to build a small hut; the monastery stands modestly, and the sun is shown descending toward the horizon, indicating the time restriction.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual training includes concrete boundaries—restraint, humility, and regulated conduct—rather than mere verbal devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction occurs within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative setting; the verse is about monastic discipline, not a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A rule of conduct (samaya) is prescribed: build a hut away from the maṭha and avoid entry until sunset/under specified conditions.