Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

तवादेशोऽन्यथा नैव मया कार्यः कथंचन । एवं मत्वा सुरश्रेष्ठ यद्युक्तं तत्समाचर

Transliteration

tavādeśo'nyathā naiva mayā kāryaḥ kathaṃcana | evaṃ matvā suraśreṣṭha yadyuktaṃ tatsamācara

Translation

“Titah perintahmu tidak akan aku lakukan dengan cara yang menyimpang walau sedikit pun. Mengetahui demikian, wahai yang terbaik antara para dewa, lakukanlah apa yang patut.”

Word by Word

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आदेशः: command, instruction
• आदेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (otherwise)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• एव: at all, indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (कर्ता/करण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कार्यः: should be done
• कार्यः: Kriya (Obligation/विधेय-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त; तव्यत्/यत्-अर्थे विधेय (gerundive); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘to be done/should be done’

• कथंचन: in any way
• कथंचन: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नकारेण सह ‘in any way’ इत्यर्थे (in any manner whatsoever)

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

• मत्वा: having considered
• मत्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having thought/considered’

• सुरश्रेष्ठ: O best of gods
• सुरश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सुराणां श्रेष्ठ)

• यत्: whatever which
• यत्: Karma (Object—what/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative)

• उक्तम्: is said
• उक्तम्: Karma (Predicate of yat/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘said’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; तद्-शब्द

• समाचर: do, carry out
• समाचर: Kriya (Command/आज्ञा-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + चर् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative); मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sarasvatī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahma-śilā Sarasvatī-tīrtha (ājñā-sthāna)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sarasvatī bows in assent, hands folded, before Brahmā near the sacred rock; the river’s flow appears calm and disciplined, as if awaiting instruction.

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvatī
• Brahmā (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes faithful adherence to rightful command; humility supports the establishment of sacred order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The emerging Sarasvatī tīrtha at Citraśilā/Mahāhrada, where her residence is being arranged.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; it is a consent to the divine arrangement that will enable tīrtha access and sanctity.