Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 176

Devanagari script

सदा शिष्यो वयःस्थोपि शासनीयः प्रयत्नतः । किं पुनर्बाल एव त्वं तेन त्वां वच्मि भूरिशः

Transliteration

sadā śiṣyo vayaḥsthopi śāsanīyaḥ prayatnataḥ | kiṃ punarbāla eva tvaṃ tena tvāṃ vacmi bhūriśaḥ

Translation

ശിഷ്യൻ വയസ്സിൽ വൃദ്ധനായാലും സദാ പരിശ്രമത്തോടെ ശാസിക്കപ്പെടണം; നീയോ ഇനിയും ബാലൻ—അതുകൊണ്ട് ഞാൻ നിന്നെ വീണ്ടും വീണ്ടും ഉപദേശിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of time)

• शिष्यः: a disciple
• शिष्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• वयःस्थः: grown-up, of mature age
• वयःस्थः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of शिष्यः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वयस् + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण (one who is in/at an age, i.e., grown-up)

• अपि: even, although
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: even/also)

• शासनीयः: to be disciplined/controlled
• शासनीयः: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शास् (धातु) → शासनीय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण; तव्यत्/अनीयर्-अर्थक (gerundive: ‘to be disciplined/controlled’)

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort, diligently
• प्रयत्नतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb); क्रियाविशेषण (with effort)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd); एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक सर्वनाम (interrogative)

• पुनः: moreover, then
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण/निपात (again; moreover)

• बालः: a child
• बालः: Karta (Subject complement with त्वम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Emphasis (Avadhāraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• तेन: therefore, for that reason
• तेन: Hetu (Cause/Reason)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन; हेतु/कारणार्थे (therefore/for that reason)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• वच्मि: I speak, I tell
• वच्मि: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); उत्तमपुरुष (1st person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भूरिशः: much, repeatedly
• भूरिशः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूरि + शस् (अव्यय-निर्माण)
• Form: शस्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (adverb); क्रियाविशेषण (abundantly/much)

Speaker

Guru

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A younger disciple (or junior interlocutor)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A venerable guru seated beneath a sacred tree near a tīrtha, instructing a youthful disciple with a firm yet compassionate gesture; pilgrims and ascetics in the background observing restraint.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Discipleship requires ongoing discipline and humility, regardless of age; guidance is especially vital in youth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual; it prescribes conduct—accepting instruction and maintaining discipline.