Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

विकारः खलु कर्तव्यो नाधि काराय यौवनम् । यदि न प्राप्नुवंत्येताः पुरुषं योषितः क्वचित्

Transliteration

vikāraḥ khalu kartavyo nādhi kārāya yauvanam | yadi na prāpnuvaṃtyetāḥ puruṣaṃ yoṣitaḥ kvacit

Translation

യൗവനത്തിൽ വികാരവും ചാഞ്ചല്യവും സ്വാഭാവികമായി ഉയരും; അത് സംയമത്തിന് സ്വാഭാവികമായി യോജ്യമല്ല. ഈ സ്ത്രീകൾ എവിടെയും പുരുഷനെ ലഭിക്കാതിരുന്നാൽ, അവരുടെ കാമം കൂടുതൽ വർധിക്കും.

Word by Word

• विकारः: change; disturbance
• विकारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/उपपत्ति-सूचक अव्यय (particle: indeed)

• कर्तव्यः: to be done; should be made
• कर्तव्यः: Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligative), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'to be done/should be done'

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• अधिकाराय: for entitlement/authority
• अधिकाराय: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• यौवनम्: youth
• यौवनम्: Karta/Predicate nominal (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यौवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional: if)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• प्राप्नुवन्ति: they obtain/reach
• प्राप्नुवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• एताः: these (women)
• एताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• पुरुषम्: a man
• पुरुषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• योषितः: women
• योषितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योषित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• क्वचित्: somewhere; at any time
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक अव्यय (indefinite adverb: somewhere/ever)

Speaker

Garuḍa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Puruṣottama (Viṣṇu as addressee)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Garuḍa explains youth’s instability and the tendency of desire to seek fulfillment if not guided; the tone is cautionary and psychological.

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Youth (yauvana)
• Women (yoṣitaḥ)
• Man (puruṣa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It underscores how powerful youthful impulses are—thereby framing celibacy as an exceptional spiritual victory.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

Not mentioned in this verse; the focus is ethical-psychological reflection within a tīrtha-mahātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it discusses tendencies rather than prescribing a rite.