Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

तस्मान्मानुषताप्राप्त्यै मम देहे दयां कुरु । राक्षसत्वं यथा याति तथा नीतिर्विधीयताम्

Transliteration

tasmānmānuṣatāprāptyai mama dehe dayāṃ kuru | rākṣasatvaṃ yathā yāti tathā nītirvidhīyatām

Translation

അതുകൊണ്ട് എനിക്കു കരുണ കാണിക്കണമേ, ഞാൻ വീണ്ടും മനുഷ്യസ്ഥിതി പ്രാപിക്കേണ്ടതിന്നു. ഈ രാക്ഷസസ്വഭാവം നീങ്ങുവാൻ ഉള്ള മാർഗം വിധിക്കണമേ.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: from that; therefore
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुँलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• मानुषता-प्राप्त्यै: for attaining humanity
• मानुषता-प्राप्त्यै: Sampradana (Recipient/Goal/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुषता (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मानुषतायाः प्राप्तिः)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• देहे: in (my) body
• देहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुँलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• दयाम्: compassion; mercy
• दयाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• कुरु: do; show (mercy)
• कुरु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative); मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• राक्षसत्वम्: demonhood; rākṣasa-nature
• राक्षसत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षसत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• यथा: as; in such a way that
• यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (comparative/manner adverb)

• याति: goes; departs
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तथा: so; thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• नीतिः: procedure; means; course (of action)
• नीतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• विधीयताम्: let it be arranged/ordained
• विधीयताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative); प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

Speaker

The afflicted brāhmaṇa (petitioning Pitāmaha)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A remorseful being with rākṣasa traits kneels in supplication, palms joined, pleading for compassion and a path back to human status; elders and sages stand as arbiters of dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Pitāmaha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma allows for redemption: sincere repentance and proper remedial discipline can restore one’s higher state.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse does not name the tīrtha; it emphasizes the moral arc of seeking release within a tīrtha-māhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A remedy (nīti) is requested but not specified here; the next verses move toward prāyaścitta discussion.