Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

त्वया विना महादेव न किंचिदिह विद्यते । अपि कृत्वा महत्पापं नरो देव धरातले

Transliteration

tvayā vinā mahādeva na kiṃcidiha vidyate | api kṛtvā mahatpāpaṃ naro deva dharātale

Translation

ಹೇ ಮಹಾದೇವ! ನಿನ್ನಿಲ್ಲದೆ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಯಾವುದೂ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಹೇ ದೇವ! ಭೂಮಿಯ ಮೇಲೆ ಯಾವನಾದರೂ ಮನುಷ್ಯನು ಮಹಾಪಾಪ ಮಾಡಿದರೂ—

Word by Word

• त्वया: by you / with you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश-निपातः (prepositional particle) ‘without’; तृतीया/पञ्चमी-सहयोगी

• महादेव: O Mahādeva
• महादेव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; समासः—महान् देवः (कर्मधारय)

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

• किञ्चित्: anything
• किञ्चित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (indefinite)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक (adverb: here)

• विद्यते: exists
• विद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; भावे/सत्तायाम् (exists)

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक (even/also)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having done’

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पापम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• धरातले: on the surface of the earth
• धरातले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; समासः—धरायाः तलम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Devāḥ (the gods)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas plead with earnest faces; Śiva’s presence begins to brighten, suggesting awakening or softening; the pit becomes less ominous, hinting at imminent boon—an atmosphere of hope for sinners seeking refuge.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādeva (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All existence depends on Mahādeva, and even grave wrongdoing can be met with the possibility of divine grace (continued in the next verse).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this half-verse; it is part of a larger passage leading into purification themes central to tīrtha-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription appears in this line; it prepares for the teaching on nāma-kīrtana (name-chanting) that follows.