Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 358

Devanagari script

एतस्मात्कारणान्नष्टा त्वत्समीपादहं विभो । श्राद्धकालेऽपि संप्राप्ते सत्येनात्मानमालभे

Transliteration

etasmātkāraṇānnaṣṭā tvatsamīpādahaṃ vibho | śrāddhakāle'pi saṃprāpte satyenātmānamālabhe

Translation

C’est pour cette raison même que j’ai disparu de ta présence, ô Seigneur. Même lorsque vient le temps du Śrāddha, je ne me soutiens que par la vérité, par mon vœu de véridicité.

Word by Word

• एतस्मात्: from this
• एतस्मात्: Apādāna (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ablative singular (‘from this’)

• कारणात्: cause, reason
• कारणात्: Apādāna (Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ablative singular neuter

• नष्टा: lost, perished
• नष्टा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √नश् ‘to perish’)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular feminine

• त्वत्-समीपात्: from your vicinity
• त्वत्-समीपात्: Apādāna (Source/Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + समीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘त्वत्समीपात्’; ablative singular neuter

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular (1st person pronoun)

• विभो: O Lord, O mighty one
• विभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; vocative singular masculine

• श्राद्ध-काले: at the time of śrāddha
• श्राद्ध-काले: Adhikaraṇa (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘श्राद्धस्य काले’; locative singular masculine

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (particle: ‘even, also’)

• संप्राप्ते: when it has come/arrived
• संप्राप्ते: Adhikaraṇa (Time circumstance/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + प्र + आप् (धातु) → संप्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; locative singular; ‘when (it) has arrived’

• सत्येन: by truth, with truthfulness
• सत्येन: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; instrumental singular neuter

• आत्मानम्: myself, the self
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular masculine

• आलबे: I take/undertake; I resort to
• आलबे: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान/Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; 1st sg present middle

Speaker

Unclear from snippet (dialogue voice within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas/Ṛṣis (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee/figure speaks to a lord, explaining a disappearance due to a specific cause; the atmosphere is solemn, with śrāddha-time suggested—offerings, kusa grass, and quiet resolve—while the speaker embodies satya-vrata.

Characters & Entities

• Śrāddha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Satya (truthfulness) is presented as a sustaining dharma, even amid obligations like Śrāddha—inner integrity is itself a spiritual support.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha is not named within this single verse; it belongs to the broader Adhyāya 20 Tīrthamāhātmya narrative where the location is specified.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śrāddha is referenced as a ritual time/occasion, but no step-by-step prescription (dāna, piṇḍa, tarpaṇa, etc.) is given in this verse.