Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

ततो वसिष्ठमाहूय वाक्यमेतदुवाच सः । नंदिनी दीयतां मह्यं किं करिष्यसि चानया

Transliteration

tato vasiṣṭhamāhūya vākyametaduvāca saḥ | naṃdinī dīyatāṃ mahyaṃ kiṃ kariṣyasi cānayā

Translation

പിന്നീട് അവൻ വസിഷ്ഠനെ വിളിച്ചു വരുത്തി ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞു—“നന്ദിനിയെ എനിക്കു തരിക; നീ ഇതുകൊണ്ട് എന്തു ചെയ്യും?”

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘then/thereupon’

• वसिष्ठम्: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, accusative singular)

• आहूय: having summoned
• आहूय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + hū (हू धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (having called)

• वाक्यम्: words/speech
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, accusative singular)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (एतद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वाक्यम् इति विशेषणम्

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd sg)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative singular)

• नंदिनी: Nandinī (the cow)
• नंदिनी: Karma (कर्म; object to be given)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naṃdinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (feminine, nominative singular)

• दीयताम्: let (her) be given
• दीयताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), कर्मणि-प्रयोगः, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (passive imperative, 3rd sg): ‘let (her) be given’

• मह्यम्: to me
• मह्यम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी, एकवचन (dative singular)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (किम्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• करिष्यसि: will you do
• करिष्यसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन (2nd sg)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction), अव्यय

• अनया: with/by this (cow)
• अनया: Karana/Association (करण/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (feminine, instrumental singular)

Speaker

Viśvāmitra (addressing Vasiṣṭha)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king summons Vasiṣṭha and bluntly asks for Nandinī; Vasiṣṭha stands composed, radiant with ascetic power; the cow remains calm yet central; attendants watch, anticipating conflict.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Vasiṣṭha
• Nandinī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Demanding sacred property tests dharma; spiritual authority and rightful stewardship resist coercion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this shloka; the verse is embedded in a tīrtha-oriented chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a direct demand within the narrative.