Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

एतदर्थं पुनर्येन वार्धक्ये समुपस्थिते । गां पालयसि भूयोऽपि कृत्वा कर्म शुभाऽशुभम्

Transliteration

etadarthaṃ punaryena vārdhakye samupasthite | gāṃ pālayasi bhūyo'pi kṛtvā karma śubhā'śubham

Translation

« Et pour cette raison même, maintenant que la vieillesse m’est venue, tu entretiens de nouveau la maison, accomplissant encore des actes — bons et mauvais. »

Word by Word

• एतदर्थम्: for this purpose
• एतदर्थम्: Hetu/Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — masculine accusative singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (एतस्य अर्थः)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — adverb

• येन: by which/whereby
• येन: Karana/Hetu (Means/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — instrumental singular (relative)

• वार्धक्ये: in old age
• वार्धक्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्धक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन — neuter locative singular

• समुपस्थिते: when (it) has come/arrived
• समुपस्थिते: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उप-स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन — past participle used locatively; ‘when (it) has arrived’

• गाम्: the cow
• गाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — feminine accusative singular

• पालयसि: you protect
• पालयसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — present, 2nd person singular

• भूयः: again/further
• भूयः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — adverb

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha/Avadharana (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — particle (emphasis/concession)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (अव्यय-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive)

• कर्म: deed/action
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — neuter accusative singular

• शुभम्: good
• शुभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — neuter accusative singular (qualifying कर्म)

• अशुभम्: bad
• अशुभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — neuter accusative singular (qualifying कर्म)

Speaker

Father

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: putra (son)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The father, now visibly aged, gestures to his frailty; the son stands as provider, holding a small bundle or vessel symbolizing household sustenance; the emotional tone is sober, not celebratory.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Supporting dependents is a real-life dharma challenge where one must choose righteous means, even amid pressures of family maintenance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred site is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it concerns household duty and moral conduct.