Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

विमृश्य चिरकारित्वाच्चिं तयामास वै चिरम् । पितुराज्ञां कथं कुर्यां न हन्यां मातरं कथम्

Transliteration

vimṛśya cirakāritvācciṃ tayāmāsa vai ciram | piturājñāṃ kathaṃ kuryāṃ na hanyāṃ mātaraṃ katham

Translation

विचारशील असल्यामुळे त्याने बराच वेळ चिंतन केले: 'मी वडिलांच्या आज्ञेचे पालन कसे करू आणि आईला न मारता कसे राहू?'

Word by Word

• विमृश्य: having reflected
• विमृश्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier of main verb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-मृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; धातु: वि-मृश् (to consider)

• चिरकारित्वात्: because of long delay
• चिरकारित्वात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिर-कारित्व (प्रातिपदिक; चिर + कारित्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; हेतौ (ablative of cause)

• चिन्तयामास: he pondered
• चिन्तयामास: Kriya (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (Nipāta)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारण/खलु-अर्थ

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• पितुः: of (my) father
• पितुः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• आज्ञाम्: command
• आज्ञाम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna/Modality (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• कुर्याम्: should I do/fulfil
• कुर्याम्: Kriya (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/संभावना), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• हन्याम्: should I kill
• हन्याम्: Kriya (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मातरम्: mother
• मातरम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna/Modality (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A young prince/son sits in solitary contemplation, head bowed, hands clasped, with two imagined figures—father commanding sternly and mother vulnerable—appearing as moral visions on either side; the atmosphere is tense and introspective.

Characters & Entities

• Cirakārī
• Father (Gautama implied)
• Mother (unnamed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When duties collide, dharma is approached through sustained reflection rather than impulse, seeking the least sinful course.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is indicated; the verse is focused on dharma-vicāra (ethical deliberation).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None—this is an inner deliberation about duty and harm.