Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

तस्मात्तिष्ठतु तद्रूपो न कल्पं कर्तुमर्हसि । त्वयापि चिन्ता कर्तव्या त्रैलोक्यस्य यतः प्रभो

Transliteration

tasmāttiṣṭhatu tadrūpo na kalpaṃ kartumarhasi | tvayāpi cintā kartavyā trailokyasya yataḥ prabho

Translation

അതുകൊണ്ട് അവൻ അതേ അവസ്ഥയിൽ തന്നെ നിലകൊള്ളട്ടെ; അതിനെ മാറ്റുക നിങ്ങൾക്കു യുക്തമല്ല. പ്രഭോ! ത്രിലോകങ്ങളുടെ ക്ഷേമം നിങ്ങൾക്കും ചിന്തിക്കേണ്ടതാണ്, കാരണം നിങ്ങൾ അതിന്റെ അധിപൻ.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; Ablative singular (therefore/from that)

• तिष्ठतु: let (him) remain
• तिष्ठतु: Kriya (Injunctive action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; Imperative 3sg (let him stand)

• तद्रूपः: of that form
• तद्रूपः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Masc nom sg; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तस्य रूपः/तद्रूपः = of that form)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय; negation particle

• कल्पम्: arrangement, plan; (here) a contrivance
• कल्पम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Masculine accusative singular

• कर्तुम्: to do/make
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त-अव्ययकृदन्त; infinitive (to do/make)

• अर्हसि: you ought/are fit
• अर्हसि: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; Present indicative 2sg

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr-karana (Agent-instrument/by)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by you)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-अव्यय; particle (also/even)

• चिन्ता: concern, thought
• चिन्ता: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिन्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Feminine nominative singular

• कर्तव्या: must be done
• कर्तव्या: Vidhi (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त विधेयकृदन्त (gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Feminine nom sg (to be done)

• त्रैलोक्यस्य: of the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; Genitive singular; द्विगु-समासः (त्रयः लोकाः = three worlds)

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक-अव्यय; causal indeclinable (since/because)

• प्रभो: O lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; Vocative singular

Speaker

Sāṃkṛti (contextual continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm yet firm adviser addresses the lord: ‘Let him remain as he is’; the lord’s face shows contemplative responsibility; behind them, symbolic tri-loka imagery indicates the stakes.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Prabhu)
• Trailokya (three worlds)
• Vṛka (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Restraint and foresight are dharma: decisions must prioritize the safety of the three worlds over personal affection or prior grants.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is counsel on cosmic welfare and responsible action.