Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 123

Devanagari script

मम वाक्यं कुरु प्राज्ञ यदि जीवितुमिच्छसि । ज्ञातः सोऽद्य मया व्यक्तमिन्द्रद्युम्नं नराधिपम्

Transliteration

mama vākyaṃ kuru prājña yadi jīvitumicchasi | jñātaḥ so'dya mayā vyaktamindradyumnaṃ narādhipam

Translation

Ô sage, fais selon ma parole si tu veux vivre. Aujourd’hui je l’ai reconnu clairement : le seigneur des hommes, le roi Indradyumna.

Word by Word

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vākyam: command, statement
• vākyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• kuru: do, follow
• kuru: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• prājña: O wise one
• prājña: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prājña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-निपात (conditional particle)

• jīvitum: to live
• jīvitum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √jīv (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive): to live

• icchasi: you desire
• icchasi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √iṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• jñātaḥ: known, recognized
• jñātaḥ: Kriya (Predicate-participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √jñā (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• adya: today, now
• adya: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adya (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vyaktam: clearly
• vyaktam: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vyakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन (adverbial accusative): clearly, distinctly

• indradyumnam: Indradyumna
• indradyumnam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indradyumna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• narādhipam: lord of men, king
• narādhipam: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: नराणाम् अधिपः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; indradyumnam इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Baka

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: the addressed ‘prājña’ (the intended entrant into fire; contextual king/sage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Baka the bird speaks decisively to halt the act, declaring he has recognized King Indradyumna. The king and sage freeze at the edge of the fire, hope returning.

Characters & Entities

• Baka
• Indradyumna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right recognition and timely obedience to wise counsel can save life and restore the path of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this line; it serves as a narrative pivot within the tīrtha-mahātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is an urgent instruction to desist and listen.