Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

ततो रामश्चिरात्स्मृत्वा तां प्रतिज्ञां स्वयं कृताम् । वधार्थं संप्रविष्टस्य समीपे पुरुषस्य च

Transliteration

tato rāmaścirātsmṛtvā tāṃ pratijñāṃ svayaṃ kṛtām | vadhārthaṃ saṃpraviṣṭasya samīpe puruṣasya ca

Translation

ਤਦ ਰਾਮ ਨੇ ਕੁਝ ਸਮੇਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਆਪਣੀ ਕੀਤੀ ਹੋਈ ਉਹ ਪ੍ਰਤਿਜ्ञਾ ਯਾਦ ਕੀਤੀ—ਕਿ ਜੋ ਕੋਈ ਵਧ ਦੇ ਉਦੇਸ਼ ਨਾਲ ਉਸ ਦੀ ਹਾਜ਼ਰੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਪ੍ਰਵੇਸ਼ ਕਰੇ, ਉਹ ਨਿਸ਼ਚਿਤ ਹੀ ਮਾਰਿਆ ਜਾਵੇ।

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-तसिल्)
• Form: अपादान/क्रमवाचक अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• चिरात्: after a long time
• चिरात्: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (after a long time)

• स्मृत्वा: having remembered
• स्मृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive): ‘having remembered’

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (प्रतिज्ञाम् इति विशेष्य)

• प्रतिज्ञाम्: promise
• प्रतिज्ञाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Sambandha (Reflexive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वकर्तृवाचक अव्यय (oneself)

• कृताम्: made
• कृताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (भूतकृदन्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (प्रतिज्ञाम्)

• वधार्थम्: for killing
• वधार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ: ‘वधस्य अर्थः’ = वधार्थ (for the purpose of killing)

• संप्रविष्टस्य: of the one who had entered
• संप्रविष्टस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विश् (धातु) + सम् + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त (भूतकृदन्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘of (one) who had entered’

• समीपे: near
• समीपे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• पुरुषस्य: of the man/person
• पुरुषस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

Speaker

Sūta (narrative voice implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma pauses, recollection dawning; the atmosphere tightens as the remembered vow—about slaying one who enters seeking death—casts a shadow over the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Pratijñā (vow)
• Puruṣa (person entering the presence)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A vow binds even the righteous; dharma is shown as exacting, demanding accountability for one’s spoken word.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ethical narrative unfolds within the Tīrthamāhātmya’s sacred-place frame, reinforcing that holy places test and refine dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse centers on the binding nature of a vowed rule regarding entry into the king’s presence.