Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

अथवा वित्थ नो यूयं त्यक्ष्यामीह कलेवरम् । प्रविश्याग्निं जलं वाऽपि भक्षयित्वाऽथ वा विषम्

Transliteration

athavā vittha no yūyaṃ tyakṣyāmīha kalevaram | praviśyāgniṃ jalaṃ vā'pi bhakṣayitvā'tha vā viṣam

Translation

അല്ലെങ്കിൽ നിങ്ങൾക്ക് പരിഹാരമൊന്നും അറിയില്ലെങ്കിൽ, തീയിലോ വെള്ളത്തിലോ ചാടിയോ വിഷം കഴിച്ചോ ഞാൻ ഇവിടെ വെച്ച് എന്റെ ശരീരം ഉപേക്ഷിക്കും.

Word by Word

• athavā: Or else
• athavā: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā
• Form: Conjunction (Alternative)

• vittha: You know
• vittha: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (विद्)
• Form: Lat (Present/Perfect acting as Present), Parasmaipada, Madhyama Purusha (2nd Person), Bahuvachana (Plural)

• no: Not
• no: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na + u (न + उ)
• Form: Negative Particle with emphasis

• yūyam: You all
• yūyam: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (युष्मद्)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative (1st), Plural

• tyakṣyāmi: I will abandon
• tyakṣyāmi: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tyaj (त्यज्)
• Form: Lrt (Future), Parasmaipada, Uttama Purusha (1st Person), Ekavachana (Singular)

• iha: Here
• iha: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha
• Form: Adverb of Place

• kalevaram: Body
• kalevaram: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalevara (कलेवर)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• praviśya: Having entered
• praviśya: Purvakalika Kriya (Prior Action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra + viś (प्र + विश्)
• Form: Lyap Pratyaya (Gerund/Absolutive)

• agnim: Fire
• agnim: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (अग्नि)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• jalam: Water
• jalam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (जल)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• vā: Or
• vā: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā
• Form: Conjunction

• api: Also/Even
• api: Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api
• Form: Conjunction/Emphasis

• bhakṣayitvā: Having eaten/consumed
• bhakṣayitvā: Purvakalika Kriya (Prior Action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhakṣ (भक्ष्)
• Form: Ktva Pratyaya (Gerund/Absolutive)

• atha: Then/Or
• atha: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha
• Form: Conjunction

• vā: Or
• vā: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā
• Form: Conjunction

• viṣam: Poison
• viṣam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣa (विष)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

Speaker

Cāmatkāra (king) (deduced from first-person vow within the illness narrative)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A distressed king, surrounded by silent attendants, declares he will end his life by fire, water, or poison; sages nearby look alarmed yet composed.

Characters & Entities

• Fire (agni)
• Water (jala)
• Poison (viṣa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse depicts the extremity of despair that precedes transformation; Purāṇic tīrtha narratives often turn such crisis into renewed faith and dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly named here; it is part of the lead-up to the chapter’s tīrtha focus—Śaṅkhatīrtha in Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None as a recommended rite; the actions listed (fire, water, poison) are expressions of desperation, not dharmic prescriptions.