Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 119

Devanagari script

सत्यं तव व्रतं मन्ये नरकाय त्वयाऽदृतम् । अत्यनर्थे न भीः कार्या कामोयं भविताचिरात्

Transliteration

satyaṃ tava vrataṃ manye narakāya tvayā'dṛtam | atyanarthe na bhīḥ kāryā kāmoyaṃ bhavitācirāt

Translation

നിന്റെ വ്രതം സത്യത്തിൽ നരകത്തിനായിട്ടുതന്നെ നീ സ്വീകരിച്ചതെന്ന് ഞാൻ കരുതുന്നു. ഇത്തരമൊരു അത്യന്താനർത്ഥത്തിൽ ഭയം വേണ്ട; നിന്റെ ഈ ആഗ്രഹം ഉടൻ ഫലിക്കും.

Word by Word

• satyam: true; truly
• satyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; वाक्ये विधेय-भावे (as predicative/indeclinable-like usage)

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vratam: vow, observance
• vratam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• manye: I think, I consider
• manye: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (मन्)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• narakāya: for hell
• narakāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• adṛtam: undertaken/accepted (with regard)
• adṛtam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√dṛ (दृ/दर्; आदरार्थे) क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• ati-anarthe: in great misfortune
• ati-anarthe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ati (अव्यय) + anartha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अत्यन्तोऽनर्थः)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• bhīḥ: fear
• bhīḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kāryā: to be done/should be made
• kāryā: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (gerundive sense: 'to be done')

• kāmaḥ: desire, love
• kāmaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ayam: this
• ayam: Viśeṣya (Apposition/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• bhavitā: will happen/come to be
• bhavitā: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• acirāt: soon, before long
• acirāt: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: acirāt (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Unclear from snippet; sarcastic/critical voice in the dialogue

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stern admonisher confronts a vow-taker whose face shows stubborn desire; behind them, a symbolic vision of a dark path (nāraka) and a bright path (dharma).

Characters & Entities

• Vrata (vow)
• Naraka (hell)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vows without right intention and discernment can become spiritually destructive; desire-driven observance is criticized.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse is moral critique rather than a tirtha-māhātmya statement.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vrata is mentioned, but as a cautionary example—highlighting that observance must align with dharma.