Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

यावत्कालं सुरश्रेष्ठ शून्ये जाते स्व आश्रये । तस्मात्कुरु द्रुतं कंचिदुपायं तद्विनाशने

Transliteration

yāvatkālaṃ suraśreṣṭha śūnye jāte sva āśraye | tasmātkuru drutaṃ kaṃcidupāyaṃ tadvināśane

Translation

«Oh, el mejor entre los dioses: mientras mi propia morada permanezca vacía, por ello concibe pronto algún medio para llevar a cabo ese fin»

Word by Word

• यावत्कालम्: for as long a time as
• यावत्कालम्: Adverbial (Kriya-visheshana/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; कालपरिमाणवाचक अव्यय (as long as/for so long)

• सुरश्रेष्ठ: O best of gods
• सुरश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सुराणां श्रेष्ठः)

• शून्ये: in emptiness, vacant
• शून्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शून्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• जाते: having become
• जाते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (शून्ये) विशेषणम्

• स्वे: in (your/one's) own
• स्वे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• आश्रये: in the abode/refuge
• आश्रये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभूत-तसिल् (ablatival adverb): 'therefore/from that reason'

• कुरु: do, make
• कुरु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: Adverbial (Kriya-visheshana/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-द्वितीया एकवचन (adverbial accusative)

• कञ्चित्: some
• कञ्चित्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अनिश्चित-विशेषण (indefinite); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उपायम्: means, remedy
• उपायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तद्विनाशने: in the destruction of that
• तद्विनाशने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + विनाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तस्य विनाशने)

Speaker

Yama

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yama, troubled, addresses ‘best of gods’ (Śiva in context), lamenting that his abode remains empty and urging a swift stratagem to bring about the destined end.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Śiva (addressed as suraśreṣṭha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic roles are fulfilled through timely action; even divine agents seek proper means aligned with the narrative’s dharmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is referenced in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it requests an ‘upāya’ (means), not a ritual.