Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

पश्चात्तापेन तेनैव प्रदह्यामि दिवानिशम् । पुरश्चरणदानेन तत्प्रसादं कुरुष्व मे

Transliteration

paścāttāpena tenaiva pradahyāmi divāniśam | puraścaraṇadānena tatprasādaṃ kuruṣva me

Translation

ಅದೇ ಪಶ್ಚಾತ್ತಾಪದಿಂದ ನಾನು ಹಗಲು-ರಾತ್ರಿ ದಹಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದೇನೆ; ಪುರಶ್ಚರಣದ ದಾನದಿಂದ ನನಗೆ ಅವನ ಪ್ರಸಾದ (ಕೃಪೆ) ದೊರಕಿಸಿಕೊಡು।

Word by Word

• पश्चात्तापेन: by repentance
• पश्चात्तापेन: Karana (Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पश्चात्ताप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; कारण/हेतु (instrumental: 'by repentance')

• तेन: by that
• तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: None (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• प्रदह्यामि: I burn/am consumed
• प्रदह्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (by day)

• निशम्: by night
• निशम्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग; द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण कालवाचक (accusative of time: 'by night')

• पुरश्चरणदानेन: by the offering of expiatory practice (puraścaraṇa)
• पुरश्चरणदानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरश्चरण + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (पुरश्चरणस्य दानम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• तत्प्रसादम्: his grace/favor
• तत्प्रसादम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् + प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (तस्य प्रसादः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• कुरुष्व: do/grant
• कुरुष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (कुरुष्व)

• मे: to me/for me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन (enclitic)

Speaker

Duḥśīla (inferred; continuing plea before Durvāsā’s reply at 79)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Durvāsā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tormented petitioner, sleepless and ‘burning’ with remorse, begs the sage for a remedy: to perform puraścaraṇa with dāna so that the guru’s grace may be secured.

Characters & Entities

• puraścaraṇa
• prasāda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True repentance should mature into corrective action—disciplined practice and charity—seeking divine or guru-bestowed prasāda.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A specific tīrtha is not named in this verse; it remains within the broader Tīrthamāhātmya setting of the Nāgarakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Puraścaraṇa (a structured spiritual discipline, commonly japa with observances) along with dāna (ritual charity).