Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

तस्मादद्य समालोक्य कश्चिदेव विचिंत्यताम् । उपायो येन निर्दोषो नियोगं कुरुते तव

Transliteration

tasmādadya samālokya kaścideva viciṃtyatām | upāyo yena nirdoṣo niyogaṃ kurute tava

Translation

म्हणून आजच एखादा उपाय पाहून विचारपूर्वक ठरवावा, ज्यायोगे तो निर्दोष राहून तुझा नेमलेला आदेश नीट पार पाडील।

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore, from that reason
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तस्मात्-प्रयोगः), अपादानार्थे/हेतौ (ablatival adverbial use)

• अद्य: today, now
• अद्य: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• समालोक्य: having looked/considered
• समालोक्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-लोक् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; धातुः लोक् (to see) उपसर्गः सम्+आ

• कश्चित्: someone, some (person/thing)
• कश्चित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (indefinite pronoun)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• विचिन्त्यताम्: let it be thought over/considered
• विचिन्त्यताम्: Vidhi (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः, कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive imperative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचन; धातुः चिन्त् (to think) उपसर्गः वि

• उपायः: a means, a plan
• उपायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन (instrumental relative)

• निर्दोषः: faultless, blameless
• निर्दोषः: Karta (Predicate adjective to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the उपायः)

• नियोगम्: command, appointment, injunction
• नियोगम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• कुरुते: does, makes, carries out
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचन

• तव: of you, your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी एकवचन (genitive)

Speaker

Indra (Śatakratu)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A council-like moment: a speaker urges immediate deliberation to find a blameless method to execute a divine commission; gods or sages appear attentive, with a sense of ethical tension.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Brahmā
• Yama (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld not only by punishment but by wise remedies—seeking a path where duty is fulfilled without injustice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is stated in this verse; it prepares for the ensuing resolution within the Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse calls for devising an upāya (solution), not a ritual act.