Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

विश्वामित्र उवाच । अनेनैव शरीरेण त्रिशंकुर्नृपसत्तमः । यदि गच्छति ते लोके तत्सृष्टिं न करोम्यहम्

Transliteration

viśvāmitra uvāca | anenaiva śarīreṇa triśaṃkurnṛpasattamaḥ | yadi gacchati te loke tatsṛṣṭiṃ na karomyaham

Translation

വിശ്വാമിത്രൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ശ്രേഷ്ഠനായ രാജാവ് ത്രിശങ്കു ഈ ശരീരത്തോടെയേ നിന്റെ ലോകത്തിലേക്ക് പോകുന്നുവെങ്കിൽ, ഞാൻ ആ പുതിയ സൃഷ്ടി ഇനി സൃഷ്ടിക്കുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• विश्वामित्रः: Viśvāmitra
• विश्वामित्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśvāmitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अनेन: with this
• अनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• शरीरेण: with the body
• शरीरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• त्रिशङ्कुः: Triśaṅku
• त्रिशङ्कुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: triśaṅku (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• नृपसत्तमः: best of kings
• नृपसत्तमः: Apposition (विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव/सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa + sattama (प्रातिपदिक); sattama = sat + tama (उत्तमत्वे तद्धित/सुपरलेटिव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नृपाणां सत्तमः)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-निपात (conditional conjunction)

• गच्छति: goes
• गच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• लोके: in the world (realm)
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण

• सृष्टिम्: creation
• सृष्टिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• करोमि: I do/make
• करोमि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Viśvāmitra

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmā (and devas, implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viśvāmitra, blazing with ascetic energy, declares before Brahmā that if Triśaṅku ascends bodily to heaven, he will not proceed with creating a rival cosmic arrangement—his vow hanging like a thunderbolt in the assembly.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Triśaṅku
• Brahmā (implied addressee)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A vow’s force is directed toward a specific dharmic aim; when the aim is honored, conflict dissolves and destructive escalation is avoided.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse belongs to the Triśaṅku narrative within the Tīrthamāhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a conditional declaration regarding a boon and cessation of creation.