Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

तवादेशोऽन्यथा नैव मया कार्यः कथंचन । एवं मत्वा सुरश्रेष्ठ यद्युक्तं तत्समाचर

Transliteration

tavādeśo'nyathā naiva mayā kāryaḥ kathaṃcana | evaṃ matvā suraśreṣṭha yadyuktaṃ tatsamācara

Translation

«Ton ordre ne doit jamais être accompli par moi autrement, d’aucune manière. Sachant cela, ô le meilleur des dieux, accomplis ce qui convient.»

Word by Word

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आदेशः: command, instruction
• आदेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (otherwise)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

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

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (कर्ता/करण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कार्यः: should be done
• कार्यः: Kriya (Obligation/विधेय-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त; तव्यत्/यत्-अर्थे विधेय (gerundive); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘to be done/should be done’

• कथंचन: in any way
• कथंचन: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नकारेण सह ‘in any way’ इत्यर्थे (in any manner whatsoever)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus)

• मत्वा: having considered
• मत्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having thought/considered’

• सुरश्रेष्ठ: O best of gods
• सुरश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सुराणां श्रेष्ठ)

• यत्: whatever which
• यत्: Karma (Object—what/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative)

• उक्तम्: is said
• उक्तम्: Karma (Predicate of yat/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘said’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; तद्-शब्द

• समाचर: do, carry out
• समाचर: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + चर् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative); मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sarasvatī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahma-śilā Sarasvatī-tīrtha (ājñā-sthāna)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sarasvatī bows in assent, hands folded, before Brahmā near the sacred rock; the river’s flow appears calm and disciplined, as if awaiting instruction.

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvatī
• Brahmā (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes faithful adherence to rightful command; humility supports the establishment of sacred order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The emerging Sarasvatī tīrtha at Citraśilā/Mahāhrada, where her residence is being arranged.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; it is a consent to the divine arrangement that will enable tīrtha access and sanctity.