Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

एवं ज्ञात्वा प्रयत्नेन त्वया भाव्यमसंशयम् । राजद्वारि यथा कश्चिन्न मया वध्यतेऽधुना

Transliteration

evaṃ jñātvā prayatnena tvayā bhāvyamasaṃśayam | rājadvāri yathā kaścinna mayā vadhyate'dhunā

Translation

ഇതറിഞ്ഞ്, രാജകവാടത്തിൽ ആരും ഇപ്പോൾ എന്നാൽ വധിക്കപ്പെടാതിരിക്കാൻ നീ സംശയമില്ലാതെ പ്രയത്നിക്കേണ്ടതാണ്.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• प्रयत्नेन: with effort
• प्रयत्नेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भाव्यम्: must be (done) / should be
• भाव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भू (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: भाव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तव्यता (ought to be done)

• असंशयम्: without doubt
• असंशयम्: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अ (नञ्) + संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial accusative)

• राजद्वारि: at the royal gate
• राजद्वारि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समास (king's gate); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• यथा: so that / as
• यथा: Sambandha (Clause linker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (as/so that)

• कश्चित्: anyone
• कश्चित्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वध्यते: is killed
• वध्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Lakṣmaṇa (contextual deduction: instructing to prevent a killing at the gate)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma instructs Lakṣmaṇa with measured firmness, pointing toward the palace gate; Lakṣmaṇa prepares to act swiftly to clear the approach.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• rāja-dvāra (royal gate)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right action requires alertness and timely effort; dharma is protected by preventing avoidable harm while honoring one’s obligations.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of a tīrtha-glorifying chapter (Tīrthamāhātmya), but this line itself names no particular site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an instruction about conduct and prevention of wrongdoing.