Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

तस्मान्मानुषताप्राप्त्यै मम देहे दयां कुरु । राक्षसत्वं यथा याति तथा नीतिर्विधीयताम्

Transliteration

tasmānmānuṣatāprāptyai mama dehe dayāṃ kuru | rākṣasatvaṃ yathā yāti tathā nītirvidhīyatām

Translation

Aussi, aie pitié de moi afin que je recouvre l’état humain. Qu’il soit prescrit le moyen par lequel cette nature de rākṣasa s’éloignera.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: from that; therefore
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुँलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• मानुषता-प्राप्त्यै: for attaining humanity
• मानुषता-प्राप्त्यै: Sampradana (Recipient/Goal/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुषता (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मानुषतायाः प्राप्तिः)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• देहे: in (my) body
• देहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुँलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• दयाम्: compassion; mercy
• दयाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

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

• राक्षसत्वम्: demonhood; rākṣasa-nature
• राक्षसत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षसत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• यथा: as; in such a way that
• यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (comparative/manner adverb)

• याति: goes; departs
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तथा: so; thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• नीतिः: procedure; means; course (of action)
• नीतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• विधीयताम्: let it be arranged/ordained
• विधीयताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative); प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

Speaker

The afflicted brāhmaṇa (petitioning Pitāmaha)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A remorseful being with rākṣasa traits kneels in supplication, palms joined, pleading for compassion and a path back to human status; elders and sages stand as arbiters of dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Pitāmaha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma allows for redemption: sincere repentance and proper remedial discipline can restore one’s higher state.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse does not name the tīrtha; it emphasizes the moral arc of seeking release within a tīrtha-māhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A remedy (nīti) is requested but not specified here; the next verses move toward prāyaścitta discussion.