Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

स तथेति प्रतिज्ञाय रथमारुह्य सत्वरम् । धनुरादाय बाणांश्च जगाम तदनन्तरम्

Transliteration

sa tatheti pratijñāya rathamāruhya satvaram | dhanurādāya bāṇāṃśca jagāma tadanantaram

Translation

അവൻ ‘അങ്ങനെ തന്നേ’ എന്നു പ്രതിജ്ഞ ചെയ്ത്, വേഗത്തിൽ രഥത്തിൽ കയറി, ധനുസ്സും അമ്പുകളും എടുത്തുകൊണ്ട് ഉടൻ പുറപ്പെട്ടു.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• tathā: so/thus
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• iti: saying/thus
• iti: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• pratijñāya: having promised
• pratijñāya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati-√jñā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपद-धातु; धातु: प्रति+√ज्ञा; अर्थ: having promised

• ratham: the chariot
• ratham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• āruhya: having mounted
• āruhya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā-√ruh (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); धातु: आ+√रुह्; अर्थ: having mounted

• satvaram: quickly
• satvaram: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (accusative used adverbially); सत्वरम्=quickly

• dhanuḥ: bow
• dhanuḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (धनुः)

• ādāya: having taken
• ādāya: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā-√dā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); धातु: आ+√दा; अर्थ: having taken

• bāṇān: arrows
• bāṇān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• jagāma: went
• jagāma: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: √गम्

• tad-anantaram: immediately thereafter
• tad-anantaram: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + anantara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; अव्ययरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण; तदनन्तरम्=immediately after that

Speaker

Narrator

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A warrior-hero affirms a vow, mounts a chariot in haste, bow in hand, quiver visible; dust rises as horses surge forward—moment of mobilization.

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Chariot
• Bow and arrows

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma requires prompt action; righteousness is not merely intention but timely, disciplined response.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; this is a transition verse in the story leading toward the tīrtha narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse highlights preparedness and duty rather than a ritual act.