Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

प्राणत्यागं करिष्यामि सोमनाथसमीपतः । शीघ्रमानीयतां वह्निरिन्धनानि बहूनि च

Transliteration

prāṇatyāgaṃ kariṣyāmi somanāthasamīpataḥ | śīghramānīyatāṃ vahnirindhanāni bahūni ca

Translation

“ನಾನು ಸೋಮನಾಥನ ಸಮೀಪದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಾಣತ್ಯಾಗ ಮಾಡುತ್ತೇನೆ. ತಕ್ಷಣವೇ ಅಗ್ನಿಯನ್ನೂ, ಬಹಳ ಇಂಧನವನ್ನೂ ತಂದುಕೊಡಿ.”

Word by Word

• प्राणत्यागम्: abandoning life, giving up breath
• प्राणत्यागम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण-त्याग (प्रातिपदिक; प्राण + त्याग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (प्राणानां त्यागः)

• करिष्यामि: I will do
• करिष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (भविष्यत्/Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• सोमनाथसमीपतः: near Somnātha
• सोमनाथसमीपतः: Adhikarana/Desha (Proximity/स्थान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोमनाथ-समीप (प्रातिपदिक; सोमनाथ + समीप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘समीपतः’ (near/from vicinity); तत्पुरुष-समास (सोमनाथस्य समीपम्)

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-नपुंसक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• आनीयताम्: let (it) be brought
• आनीयताम्: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + नी (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive); ‘let it be brought’

• वह्निः: fire
• वह्निः: Karma (Object in passive/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इन्धनानि: fuel, firewood
• इन्धनानि: Karma (Object in passive/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• बहूनि: many
• बहूनि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (इन्धनानि)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Kaṇva-rāja (the king, as indicated by subsequent verses)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Somanātha (Prabhāsa-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience/ṛṣis; within story: servant/attendants

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, resolute, declares he will relinquish life near Somanātha; attendants rush to gather fire and fuel; the temple silhouette or liṅga presence looms as sacred backdrop.

Characters & Entities

• Somanātha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Choosing one’s final act near a revered tirtha is portrayed as a dharmic, devotion-filled pursuit of auspicious destiny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Somanātha—presented as a powerfully sanctifying locus whose proximity itself is spiritually decisive.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Preparation of a sacrificial/cremation-like fire: bringing fire and abundant fuel for the intended prāṇatyāga.