Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

भगवन्काशिराजस्य सुतया मे प्रजल्पितम् । मम मृत्युकरं पापं सकलं ते भविष्यति

Transliteration

bhagavankāśirājasya sutayā me prajalpitam | mama mṛtyukaraṃ pāpaṃ sakalaṃ te bhaviṣyati

Translation

ഭീഷ്മൻ പറഞ്ഞു: ഹേ ഭഗവൻ! കാശീരാജന്റെ പുത്രി എന്നോട് പറഞ്ഞ വാക്കുകൾ മൂലം—എന്റെ മരണകാരണമാകുന്ന ആ സമസ്ത പാപം സത്യമായി എനിക്കു വരുമോ?

Word by Word

• भगवन्: O Blessed one (Lord)
• भगवन्: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• काशिराजस्य: of the king of Kāśī
• काशिराजस्य: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशिराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुतया: by the daughter
• सुतया: Karana (Agent in passive/instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र षष्ठी (my)

• प्रजल्पितम्: was spoken/uttered
• प्रजल्पितम्: Kriyā (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + जल्प् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपसर्ग: प्र; अर्थ: उक्तम्/प्रलपितम्

• मम: of me / my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मृत्युकरम्: death-causing
• मृत्युकरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective of पापम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मृत्युं करोति)

• पापम्: sin/evil deed
• पापम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सकलम्: entire/whole
• सकलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective of पापम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradāna (Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र चतुर्थी (to you/for you)

• भविष्यति: will be / will become
• भविष्यति: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Bhīṣma

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience (implicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bhīṣma speaks with folded hands to Mārkaṇḍeya, confessing the harsh prophecy of Kāśī’s princess and asking whether the death-bringing sin will truly mature.

Characters & Entities

• Bhīṣma
• Kāśī
• Kāśirāja’s daughter (Amba, implied)
• Mārkaṇḍeya (listener, implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even great heroes fear the moral weight of harmful acts, and seek clarity from dharma-authorities.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is mentioned as a royal realm; however, no specific tīrtha is praised in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a question that leads into rules about culpability and expiation.