Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

ततो राज्यं चिरं कृत्वा दृष्ट्वा पुत्रोद्भवान्सुतान् । कालधर्ममनुप्राप्तः कस्मिंश्चित्कालपर्यये

Transliteration

tato rājyaṃ ciraṃ kṛtvā dṛṣṭvā putrodbhavānsutān | kāladharmamanuprāptaḥ kasmiṃścitkālaparyaye

Translation

नंतर तो दीर्घकाळ राज्य करून, आपल्या वंशात जन्मलेल्या पुत्रांना पाहून, एका ठराविक काळपर्यायी येता कालधर्म (मृत्यू) प्राप्त झाला।

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: thereafter/from that)

• राज्यम्: kingdom/rule
• राज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः (adverbial accusative: for a long time)

• कृत्वा: having done/ruled
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• पुत्रोद्भवान्: born of (his) sons
• पुत्रोद्भवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्र + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural) — ‘सुतान्’ विशेषणम्

• सुतान्: sons/children
• सुतान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कालधर्मम्: the law/inevitability of time (death)
• कालधर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अनुप्राप्तः: having reached/attained
• अनुप्राप्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कस्मिंश्चित्: at some
• कस्मिंश्चित्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular) — अनिश्चितार्थे ‘चित्’ (indefinite)

• कालपर्यये: at a certain turn/period of time
• कालपर्यये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल + पर्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An aged king on his final bed, surrounded by sons and grandsons; priests recite; a subtle personification of Kāla (shadowy wheel/time-cycle) looms, while the king’s earlier gifts are remembered in symbolic flashes.

Characters & Entities

• Kāla (Time)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even long rule and prosperity end under kāla (Time); the narrative redirects attention from power to dharma and lasting merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it transitions the story toward the next phase where tīrtha-related consequences may unfold.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative statement about mortality.