Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 113

Devanagari script

हत्वा नारीं च साध्वीं च को नु मां तारयिष्यति । सत्वरेण मयाज्ञप्तश्चिरकारी ह्युदारधीः

Transliteration

hatvā nārīṃ ca sādhvīṃ ca ko nu māṃ tārayiṣyati | satvareṇa mayājñaptaścirakārī hyudāradhīḥ

Translation

'ଜଣେ ନାରୀ ଏବଂ ସେ ମଧ୍ୟ ସାଧ୍ୱୀଙ୍କୁ ହତ୍ୟା କରି, କିଏ ମୋତେ ଉଦ୍ଧାର କରିବ? ମୁଁ ତରବରିଆ ଭାବରେ ଉଦାର ବୁଦ୍ଧି ସମ୍ପନ୍ନ ଚିରକାରୀଙ୍କୁ ଆଦେଶ ଦେଇଥିଲି।'

Word by Word

• हत्वा: having killed
• हत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (absolutive/gerund)

• नारीम्: a woman
• नारीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Feminine, accusative singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपातः (conjunction)

• साध्वीम्: a virtuous woman
• साध्वीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Feminine, accusative singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपातः (conjunction)

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Interrogative pronoun, nominative singular masculine

• नु: indeed/then
• नु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न/अनुनय-निपातः (interrogative/emphatic particle)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; 1st person pronoun, accusative singular

• तारयिष्यति: will save
• तारयिष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (भविष्यत्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; Simple future, 3rd person singular, active

• सत्वरेण: quickly/with haste
• सत्वरेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Instrumental singular neuter (adverbial use)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr-karana (कर्तृकरण/agentive instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; 1st person pronoun, instrumental singular

• आज्ञप्तः: ordered/commanded
• आज्ञप्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ज्ञप् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकाले कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययः), प्रथमा-एकवचनम्, पुल्लिङ्गः; Past passive participle, nominative singular masculine

• चिरकारी: Cirakārī (proper name)
• चिरकारी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिरकारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Nominative singular masculine

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (emphatic particle)

• उदारधीः: noble-minded
• उदारधीः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदारधी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; Masculine, nominative singular

Speaker

The distressed father (contextually Gautama) speaking; embedded within Sūta’s narration (deduced from surrounding verses)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tormented man speaks aloud, imagining the horror of killing a virtuous woman; in the background, the figure of Cirakārī is implied—steady, noble, yet commanded in haste.

Characters & Entities

• Cirakārī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Harming the innocent, especially the virtuous, is a grave pātaka; repentance begins with recognizing the moral catastrophe of one’s command.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No explicit tīrtha is glorified; the emphasis is on dharma within a household/āśrama crisis.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is a confession of error and fear of sin.