Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 185

Devanagari script

एवम् ज्ञात्वा महाभाग चिन्तयस्व चिरंतनम् । कंचिद्भूमितलेऽन्यत्र यतस्त्वं चिरजीवधृक्

Transliteration

evam jñātvā mahābhāga cintayasva ciraṃtanam | kaṃcidbhūmitale'nyatra yatastvaṃ cirajīvadhṛk

Translation

«Sachant cela, ô noble, réfléchis avec soin et dans la durée. Cherche quelqu’un ailleurs sur la terre—puisque tu es celui qui soutient la longue vie.»

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriya (Gerundial/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + क्त्वा (ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having known)

• महाभाग: O greatly fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; महा+भाग (great + fortunate)

• चिन्तयस्व: think, consider
• चिन्तयस्व: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative); मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person); एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• चिरंतनम्: the ancient/eternal (matter)
• चिरंतनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिरन्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेष्यरूपेण (as object)

• कंचित्: some (one)
• कंचित्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (निपात)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (indefinite)

• भूमितले: on the earth's surface
• भूमितले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि-तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; भूमि+तल (surface of the earth)

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere
• अन्यत्र: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• यतः: since, because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेतुवाचक (causal particle: because/since)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्य); प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• चिरजीवधृक्: long-lived, bearer of long life
• चिरजीवधृक्: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिर-जीव-धृक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; विशेषण; चिरं जीवम् धृक् (one who holds long life)

Speaker

Baka (contextual continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm advisory moment: a noble figure is urged to think carefully and seek another long-lived person elsewhere; the composition suggests maps/paths, staff, and travel readiness.

Characters & Entities

• Baka
• Cirajīvin (long-lived sage)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma favors patient discernment and seeking qualified guidance rather than fatalistic decisions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named in this verse; it prepares the search for a sacredly situated long-lived ascetic.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it is strategic counsel to search elsewhere for a cirajīvin.