Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

उवाच व्यर्थः शापोऽयं तव दत्तो मया नृप । न च मे जायते वाक्यमसत्यं हि कथंचन

Transliteration

uvāca vyarthaḥ śāpo'yaṃ tava datto mayā nṛpa | na ca me jāyate vākyamasatyaṃ hi kathaṃcana

Translation

അവൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ നൃപാ! ഞാൻ നിനക്കു നൽകിയ ഈ ശാപം വ്യർത്ഥമായി. എങ്കിലും എന്റെ വാക്കിൽ നിന്നു ഒരുവിധത്തിലും അസത്യം ഉദിക്കുന്നില്ല.

Word by Word

• उवाच: said/spoke
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• व्यर्थः: fruitless, in vain
• व्यर्थः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• शापः: curse
• शापः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• दत्तः: given
• दत्तः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मे: of me/to me
• मे: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th) / चतुर्थी (Dative, 4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• जायते: arises/is born
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• वाक्यम्: speech/statement
• वाक्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative, 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• असत्यम्: untrue/false
• असत्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative, 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/causal)

• कथंचन: in any way/ever
• कथंचन: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Vasiṣṭha

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage or authoritative speaker addresses a king, declaring the curse ‘not false’ yet ‘not futile’—a moment of paradoxical dharma where destiny is redirected by truth-power.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Satya (truth) is the hallmark of a sage; even when outcomes shift, integrity of speech remains uncompromised.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is directly referenced in this verse; it emphasizes dharma (truthfulness) within the sacred narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a doctrinal assertion about the sage’s unwavering truthfulness.