Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

न विद्मो यन्निमित्तं सा तपश्चक्रे यशस्विनी । स्वर्गकामाऽर्थकामा वा पतिकामाथ वा विभो

Transliteration

na vidmo yannimittaṃ sā tapaścakre yaśasvinī | svargakāmā'rthakāmā vā patikāmātha vā vibho

Translation

ସେଇ ଯଶସ୍ବିନୀ କେଉଁ ନିମିତ୍ତରେ ତପ କଲେ ଆମେ ଜାଣୁନାହିଁ—ସ୍ୱର୍ଗକାମନାରେ, ଧନକାମନାରେ, କିମ୍ବା ପତିକାମନାରେ, ହେ ପ୍ରଭୋ।

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• vidmaḥ: we know
• vidmaḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• yat: what/which
• yat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• nimittam: cause, reason
• nimittam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nimitta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• cakre: did, performed
• cakre: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• yaśasvinī: glorious, renowned
• yaśasvinī: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yaśasvinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• svargakāmā: desiring heaven
• svargakāmā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (svargaṃ kāmayate)

• arthakāmā: desiring wealth
• arthakāmā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (arthaṃ kāmayate)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• patikāmā: desiring a husband
• patikāmā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pati (प्रातिपदिक) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (patiṃ kāmayate)

• atha: then/also
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक/सम्बोधनार्थक-अव्यय (then/also)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• vibho: O mighty one
• vibho: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Cārāḥ (spies/agents of the daitya lord)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Messengers/companions speak to a lord, confessing ignorance of the maiden’s purpose in performing austerities, listing possible aims—heaven, wealth, or husband—creating a suspenseful moral question.

Characters & Entities

• Vibhu (addressed lord)
• Svarga
• Artha
• Pati (husband)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tapas can be pursued with varied intentions; the Purāṇic narrative often tests whether desire-driven aims yield to higher dharma and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it continues the Vindhya-centered episode within the tīrtha-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is mentioned generally, without a detailed procedure.