Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

अप्यहं नरकं रौद्रं प्रगच्छामींद्रवल्लभे । हरकांता समादेशान्न स्वर्गेऽपि तवाज्ञया

Transliteration

apyahaṃ narakaṃ raudraṃ pragacchāmīṃdravallabhe | harakāṃtā samādeśānna svarge'pi tavājñayā

Translation

ഹേ ഇന്ദ്രവല്ലഭേ, ഭീകര നരകത്തിലേക്കു പോകേണ്ടിവന്നാലും ഞാൻ പോകും; ഹരകാന്തയുടെ ആജ്ഞപ്രകാരം, നിന്റെ ആജ്ഞകൊണ്ട് മാത്രം ഞാൻ സ്വർഗ്ഗത്തിലും നില്ക്കുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• अपि: even
• अपि: Particle (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ ‘even’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘I’

• नरकम्: hell
• नरकम्: Karma (Goal/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — destination as object of motion

• रौद्रम्: terrible
• रौद्रम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — adjective qualifying ‘नरकम्’

• प्रगच्छामि: I go
• प्रगच्छामि: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — ‘I go’

• इन्द्रवल्लभे: O beloved of Indra
• इन्द्रवल्लभे: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वल्लभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘इन्द्रस्य वल्लभा’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन — address to Indrāṇī

• हरकान्ता: Hara’s beloved (Pārvatī)
• हरकान्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक) + कान्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘हरस्य कान्ता’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — subject (Pārvatī)

• समादेशात्: from the command/at the command
• समादेशात्: Apadana (Ablative/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समादेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन — ablative ‘from/according to the command’

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

• स्वर्गे: in heaven
• स्वर्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — locative ‘in heaven’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Particle (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ ‘even’

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी, एकवचन — ‘your’

• आज्ञया: by (your) command/permission
• आज्ञया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — instrumental ‘by/with (your) permission/command’

Speaker

Viṣakanyakā

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śakrāṇī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The poison-maiden speaks with unwavering courage: one hand still in añjali, posture upright; imagery of hell and heaven implied as distant backdrops, while Devī’s command is central.

Characters & Entities

• Indravallabhā (Śacī)
• Hara
• Harakāntā (Pārvatī)
• Naraka
• Svarga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Obedience to the highest divine command outweighs even heavenly reward; dharma is chosen over comfort.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the chapter’s tīrtha-māhātmya narrative arc; the specific site is not named in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is on niṣṭhā (steadfastness) and prioritizing the Goddess’s command.