Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

यथा शृंगं रुरोः काये वर्धमानस्य वर्धते । एवं तृष्णापि यत्नेन वर्धमानेन वर्धते

Transliteration

yathā śṛṃgaṃ ruroḥ kāye vardhamānasya vardhate | evaṃ tṛṣṇāpi yatnena vardhamānena vardhate

Translation

Seperti tanduk pada tubuh rusa yang membesar ketika ia membesar, demikian juga dahaga nafsu (tṛṣṇā) bertambah—bertambah kerana usaha sendiri mengejarnya.

Word by Word

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक

• शृङ्गम्: horn
• शृङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• रुरोः: of the antelope (ruru)
• रुरोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• काये: in the body
• काये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• वर्धमानस्य: of the growing (one)
• वर्धमानस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्धमान (कृदन्त; वर्ध् धातु + शानच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले शानच्; विशेषण (of one that is growing)

• वर्धते: grows
• वर्धते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus)

• तृष्णा: craving/desire
• तृष्णा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृष्णा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also/even)

• यत्नेन: by effort
• यत्नेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• वर्धमानेन: by (its) growing
• वर्धमानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्धमान (कृदन्त; वर्ध् धातु + शानच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; विशेषण (by/with one growing; i.e., when it is being indulged)

• वर्धते: grows
• वर्धते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

Speaker

Atithi (inferred)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A deer (ruru) stands in a forest clearing; its horn is emphasized as it grows, while a human figure reflects on how craving grows through effort.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Craving grows by being pursued; redirecting effort toward dharma and inner discipline curbs it.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction appears within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra-māhātmya narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it teaches self-restraint and wise use of effort.