Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

कस्मिन्काले प्रकर्तव्यं केनैव विधिना तथा । तस्मात्सूत महाभाग विधानं विस्तराद्वद

Transliteration

kasminkāle prakartavyaṃ kenaiva vidhinā tathā | tasmātsūta mahābhāga vidhānaṃ vistarādvada

Translation

À quel moment doit-on l’accomplir, et selon quel rite précis ? Aussi, ô Sūta, très fortuné, expose-en l’ordonnance en détail.

Word by Word

• कस्मिन्: in which
• कस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• काले: time
• काले: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• प्रकर्तव्यम्: is to be performed
• प्रकर्तव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्तव्यताप्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (to be done)

• केन: by what / by whom
• केन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• एव: indeed, exactly
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (emphasis)

• विधिना: by what procedure
• विधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• तथा: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: ‘thus/so’)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इत्यव्ययप्रयोगः (ablatival adverb: ‘therefore/from that’)

• सूत: O Sūta
• सूत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

• विधानम्: the procedure, rules
• विधानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• विस्तरात्: in detail
• विस्तरात्: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (ablatival adverb: ‘in detail’)

• वद: tell, speak
• वद: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Ṛṣis (Sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A respectful assembly of brāhmaṇas/seekers asks Sūta to explain the detailed ordinance of a vow connected to a sacred place; palm-leaf manuscripts, kuśa grass seats, and a calm hermitage ambience.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis
• Sūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is to be practiced with clarity—right timing and right method are essential to sacred observances.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; the verse is a transition into detailed vrata instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A request for the precise kāla (timing) and vidhi (procedure) of the vow.