Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

निष्पन्नं नास्य तत्कार्यं प्राणानेष मुमुक्षति । वह्निप्रवेशेन परं वैराग्यं समुपागतः

Transliteration

niṣpannaṃ nāsya tatkāryaṃ prāṇāneṣa mumukṣati | vahnipraveśena paraṃ vairāgyaṃ samupāgataḥ

Translation

“Tujuannya belum tercapai; kini dia ingin melepaskan nafas hayatnya. Dengan memasuki api, dia telah sampai kepada vairāgya yang tertinggi.”

Word by Word

• निष्पन्नम्: accomplished, fulfilled
• निष्पन्नम्: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate/समाना)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निस् + पद् (धातु) → निष्पन्न (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation particle)

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्-कार्यं: that task/that purpose
• तत्-कार्यं: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate/समाना)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम) + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः—‘तत् कार्यम्’

• प्राणान्: life-breaths, life
• प्राणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• एषः: this (man)
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• मुमुक्षति: wishes to give up/release
• मुमुक्षति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; सन्नन्त-रूप (desiderative) — ‘to wish to release’

• वह्नि-प्रवेशेन: by entering the fire
• वह्नि-प्रवेशेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः—‘वह्नौ प्रवेशः’

• परम्: supreme, great
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• वैराग्यम्: dispassion, renunciation
• वैराग्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैराग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• समुपागतः: has attained
• समुपागतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उप + गम् (धातु) → समुपागत (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, कर्तरि प्रयोगः—‘(एषः) समुपागतः’ = ‘has attained’

Speaker

Cirāyu (continuing the explanation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solemn description of a person (Indradyumna) whose aim remains unaccomplished, standing near a ritual fire, resolved to relinquish life; the sage narrates with grave calm, emphasizing ‘supreme dispassion’.

Characters & Entities

• Vahni (fire, as ritual/act context)
• Indradyumna (implied subject)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When worldly aims collapse, the Purāṇic lens redirects the heart toward vairāgya; yet the narrative typically seeks dharmic resolution rather than mere despair.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific holy site is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A ‘fire-entry’ (vahnipraveśa) is described as an act undertaken; it is not framed here as a general prescription for devotees.