Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वा चतुर्वक्त्रं यमं प्राह ततः शिवः । वदायुषोऽस्य यच्छेषमजापालस्य भूपतेः । येन तत्समये प्राप्ते तं नयामि निजालयम्

Transliteration

evamuktvā caturvaktraṃ yamaṃ prāha tataḥ śivaḥ | vadāyuṣo'sya yaccheṣamajāpālasya bhūpateḥ | yena tatsamaye prāpte taṃ nayāmi nijālayam

Translation

Dicho esto, Śiva se dirigió a Yama, el de cuatro rostros: «Dime cuánto tiempo de vida le resta al rey Ajāpāla, para que, cuando llegue ese momento, yo lo conduzca a mi propia morada».

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘उक्त्वा’ (having said)

• चतुर्वक्त्रम्: the four-faced one (Brahmā)
• चतुर्वक्त्रम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘चत्वारि वक्त्राणि यस्य’ (four-faced)

• यमम्: Yama
• यमम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; ‘प्र + आह’ (said)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/हेतु (then/thereupon)

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वद: tell/say
• वद: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• आयुषः: of the lifespan
• आयुषः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• यत्: whatever/that which
• यत्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (that which)

• शेषम्: remaining
• शेषम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘अवशिष्ट’ (remaining)

• अजापालस्य: of Ajāpāla
• अजापालस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक) + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘अजानां पालः’ (goat-herd)

• भूपतेः: of the king
• भूपतेः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; साधन/हेतु (by which/whereby)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘तत्’ (that)

• समये: at the time
• समये: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• प्राप्ते: when (it) has arrived
• प्राप्ते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle) सप्तमी-एकवचन; पुं/नपुंस; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute): ‘समये प्राप्ते’ (when the time has come)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• नयामि: I lead/take
• नयामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• निजालयम्: to my own abode
• निजालयम्: Gati-Karman (Destination object/गतिकर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘निजः आलयः’ (one’s own abode)

Speaker

Śiva

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yama (addressed by Śiva after speaking to Brahmā)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, after addressing Brahmā, turns to Yama and asks for the remaining lifespan of King Ajāpāla, declaring that at the appointed time he will personally lead the king to his own abode; Yama stands as dutiful cosmic registrar.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Yama
• Ajāpāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord’s grace is shown as actively guiding a dharmic soul at the destined time toward a higher divine state.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is within a tīrtha-māhātmya setting but does not itself specify a named pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it concerns destiny (āyuṣ) and divine escort rather than a rite.