Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

यद्येवं वत्स मा कार्षीः साहसं पापसंभवम् । आत्मदेहविघातेन श्रूयतां वचनं मम

Transliteration

yadyevaṃ vatsa mā kārṣīḥ sāhasaṃ pāpasaṃbhavam | ātmadehavighātena śrūyatāṃ vacanaṃ mama

Translation

S’il en est ainsi, mon enfant, ne commets pas un acte téméraire qui fait naître le péché en blessant ton propre corps. Écoute mes paroles.

Word by Word

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Conditional connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तसूचक (if)

• evaṃ: thus
• evaṃ: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evaṃ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus)

• vatsa: dear child
• vatsa: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vatsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• mā: do not
• mā: Sambandha (Prohibition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: mā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (prohibitive particle used with injunctive/imperative)

• kārṣīḥ: you should do
• kārṣīḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; निषेध 'mā' सह (prohibitive aorist)

• sāhasam: rash act
• sāhasam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāhasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• pāpa-saṃbhavam: born of sin
• pāpa-saṃbhavam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: पापात् सम्भवम् = 'arising from sin' विशेषण (sāhasam)

• ātma-deha-vighātena: by harming your own body
• ātma-deha-vighātena: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + deha (प्रातिपदिक) + vighāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष) आत्मनः देहस्य विघातः = 'injury to one’s own body'

• śrūyatām: let (it) be heard
• śrūyatām: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense): 'let it be heard'

• vacanam: word/speech
• vacanam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

Speaker

Gautama

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śatānanda (addressed as vatsa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gautama gently restrains his son with an open palm gesture, face compassionate yet firm, warning against reckless self-harm and inviting him to listen; the āśrama and a nearby waterbody suggest the forthcoming dharmic remedy.

Characters & Entities

• Gautama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when seeking expiation, dharma discourages self-destruction; right means matter as much as right ends.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it is a prohibition against self-harm as a misguided form of atonement.