Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

प्रेतत्वं याति येनेदं त्वत्प्र सादात्सुदारुणम् । नाऽन्यथा मुक्तिरस्माकं भविष्यति कथंचन

Transliteration

pretatvaṃ yāti yenedaṃ tvatpra sādātsudāruṇam | nā'nyathā muktirasmākaṃ bhaviṣyati kathaṃcana

Translation

あなたの恩寵によって、この最も恐るべき境遇はプレータの身となりました。これ以外のいかなる方法によっても、私たちに解脱（モークシャ）は決して得られません。

Word by Word

• प्रेतत्वम्: state of being a preta (ghosthood)
• प्रेतत्वम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तद्धितान्त (त्व) भाववाचक; ‘प्रेत-भावः’

• याति: goes, attains
• याति: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• येन: by which
• येन: Karaṇa (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• त्वत्प्रसादात्: from your grace/favor
• त्वत्प्रसादात्: Apādāna (Source/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम) + प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (त्वत्-प्रसादः)

• सुदारुणम्: very dreadful
• सुदारुणम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying इदम्/प्रेतत्वम्-प्राप्ति)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• मुक्तिः: liberation
• मुक्तिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अस्माकम्: of us
• अस्माकम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• भविष्यति: will be, will happen
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कथंचन: in any way at all
• कथंचन: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् + चन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात-समुच्चय (indefinite/emphatic adverb)

Speaker

Unnamed preta (one among the pretas speaking to the king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A suffering preta, subtle-bodied and anxious, addresses the king with folded hands, acknowledging the king’s grace as the only bridge to liberation; the atmosphere is twilight-like and liminal.

Characters & Entities

• rājā (king)
• preta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liberation is not merely a change of condition; without the right means (especially dharmic agency and divine/saintly grace), mokṣa remains unattainable.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse sits within a Tīrthamāhātmya framework in Nāgarakhaṇḍa, but the snippet itself does not name a particular tīrtha; it emphasizes the existential plight that tīrtha-guided dharma aims to remedy.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed in this verse; it underscores the necessity of a liberating means rather than detailing snāna, dāna, or japa.