Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

अहमस्यान्यदेहत्वे पुत्र आसं सुसंमतः । पशुपालनकर्मज्ञः प्राणेभ्यो वल्लभः सदा

Transliteration

ahamasyānyadehatve putra āsaṃ susaṃmataḥ | paśupālanakarmajñaḥ prāṇebhyo vallabhaḥ sadā

Translation

അവന്റെ മുൻജന്മദേഹത്തിൽ ഞാൻ അവന്റെ പുത്രനായിരുന്നു—അത്യന്തം പ്രിയനും ബഹുമാനിതനും. പശുപാലനകർമ്മത്തിൽ നിപുണനായി, എപ്പോഴും അവനു പ്രാണസമമായി പ്രിയനായിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुषः; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा (Nominative, singular)

• अस्य: of this (person)
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे; एकवचनम्; षष्ठी (Genitive, singular)

• अन्य-देहत्वे: in (the state of) another body; in another embodiment
• अन्य-देहत्वे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + देहत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्; एकवचनम्; सप्तमी (Locative, singular); ‘देहत्वे’ = देहत्व-शब्दस्य सप्तमी

• पुत्रः: a son
• पुत्रः: Pratipādya/Predicate nominative (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा (Nominative, singular)

• आसम्: I was
• आसम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past); उत्तमपुरुषः; एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• सुसंमतः: well-approved; highly esteemed
• सुसंमतः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + संमत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √मन्/मन्? ‘सम्मत’ = accepted/approved)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा; भूतकृदन्तः (past passive participle sense)

• पशुपालनकर्मज्ञः: knowing the work of tending cattle
• पशुपालनकर्मज्ञः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक) + पालन (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √ज्ञा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा; समासः—‘पशुपालनस्य कर्म’ इति तत्पुरुषः, तस्य ‘ज्ञः’ (कर्मज्ञ)

• प्राणेभ्यः: than (one’s) lives; more than life
• प्राणेभ्यः: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; बहुवचनम्; पञ्चमी (Ablative, plural)

• वल्लभः: beloved; dear
• वल्लभः: Pratipādya/Predicate nominative (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वल्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्; एकवचनम्; प्रथमा (Nominative, singular)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of time)

Speaker

The brāhmaṇa (jātismara) continuing his explanation

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A narrator recalls a former life as a beloved son, depicted as a youthful cowherd caring for cattle, with a gentle domestic bond and a faint aura hinting at future sacred transformation.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Karmic relationships endure beyond one lifetime; remembering benefactors inspires gratitude expressed through service and rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it supports the broader Māhātmya’s ethical teaching.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not directly; it provides the reason behind performing pretakārya and honoring the departed.