Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

यावत्संख्यं जपेन्मत्रं तावत्संख्यान्यहानि सः । आयुषः परतो मर्त्यो जीवते नात्र संशयः

Transliteration

yāvatsaṃkhyaṃ japenmatraṃ tāvatsaṃkhyānyahāni saḥ | āyuṣaḥ parato martyo jīvate nātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

അവൻ എത്ര എണ്ണത്തിൽ മന്ത്രം ജപിക്കുമോ, അത്ര എണ്ണത്തിൽ ദിവസങ്ങൾ അവനു കൂട്ടിച്ചേർക്കപ്പെടുന്നു; മർത്ത്യൻ നിശ്ചിത ആയുസ്സിനപ്പുറവും ജീവിക്കുന്നു—ഇതിൽ സംശയമില്ല।

Word by Word

• yāvat: as much as
• yāvat: Sambandha (Correlation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (अव्यय/संबन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक-संबन्ध-अव्यय (correlative: 'as much as/so long as')

• saṃkhyam: number/count
• saṃkhyam: Karma (Measure-object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃkhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• japet: should recite
• japet: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jap (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• mantram: mantra
• mantram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• tāvat: that much
• tāvat: Sambandha (Correlation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tāvat (अव्यय/संबन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक-संबन्ध-अव्यय (correlative: 'that much')

• saṃkhyāni: numbers (as many)
• saṃkhyāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃkhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ahāni: days
• ahāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

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

• āyuṣaḥ: of lifespan
• āyuṣaḥ: Sambandha (Reference/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āyus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• parataḥ: beyond
• parataḥ: Apādāna/Avadhi (Limit/अवधि)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paratas (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादान/अधिकरणार्थक-अव्यय (adverb: 'beyond/after')

• martyaḥ: a mortal
• martyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: martya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• jīvate: lives
• jīvate: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jīv (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (Scope/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'here/in this matter')

• saṃśayaḥ: doubt
• saṃśayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dakṣiṇāmūrti-sthāna (within the described tīrtha)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣayaḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee seated in steady posture, counting mantra repetitions on a rosary; above, a symbolic calendar/stream of days extends, indicating life prolonged; the deity’s calm gaze anchors the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Mantra (ṣaḍakṣara, implied)
• Dakṣiṇāmūrti (contextual)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Disciplined repetition of mantra is framed as a tangible spiritual force that protects and prolongs life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same sacred setting of Adhyāya 29 where the ṣaḍakṣara mantra is taught in relation to Dakṣiṇāmūrti.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Mantra-japa with counted repetitions; the verse links the number of japa to the number of added days.