Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 191

Devanagari script

यदा त्वां जलमध्यस्थं वत्सोनाम द्विजो रुषा । ताडयिष्यति दण्डेन तदा मोक्षमवाप्स्यसि

Transliteration

yadā tvāṃ jalamadhyasthaṃ vatsonāma dvijo ruṣā | tāḍayiṣyati daṇḍena tadā mokṣamavāpsyasi

Translation

ਜਦ ਤੂੰ ਜਲ ਦੇ ਮੱਧ ਵਿੱਚ ਹੋਵੇਂਗਾ, ਤਦ ਵਤਸੋਨਾ ਨਾਮ ਦਾ ਇਕ ਦ੍ਵਿਜ ਕ੍ਰੋਧ ਨਾਲ ਡੰਡੇ ਨਾਲ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਮਾਰੇਗਾ—ਉਸ ਵੇਲੇ ਤੂੰ ਮੋਖਸ਼ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਕਰੇਂਗਾ।

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Sambandha (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-सम्बन्धबोधक (temporal conjunction) ‘when’

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• जलमध्यस्थम्: standing in mid-water
• जलमध्यस्थम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जल + मध्य + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; qualifies ‘त्वाम्’

• वत्सः: Vatsa (name)
• वत्सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha/Apposition (नामनिर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामार्थक-निपात (quotative/namely)

• द्विजः: a Brahmin
• द्विजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• रुषा: with anger
• रुषा: Karana (Manner/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुष्/रुषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular; ‘with anger’

• ताडयिष्यति: will strike
• ताडयिष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ताड् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (भविष्यत्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Simple future, 3rd sg

• दण्डेन: with a staff
• दण्डेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• तदा: then
• तदा: Sambandha (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb) ‘then’

• मोक्षम्: liberation
• मोक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• अवाप्स्यसि: you will attain
• अवाप्स्यसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (भविष्यत्), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; Simple future, 2nd sg; अव-उपसर्ग

Speaker

Suvrata

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At a river/kunda, a devotee stands in water; an angry brāhmaṇa (Vatsona) raises a staff and strikes; at the moment of impact, a luminous release—subtle soul-form rising toward light, indicating mokṣa; onlookers stunned.

Characters & Entities

• Vatsona (dvija)
• Sarpa (addressed)
• mokṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Liberation may arrive through a divinely ordered karmic turning-point, especially when supported by prior discipline like japa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A water-based tīrtha setting (jalāśaya) is implied; the narrative sanctifies the locale as the stage for mokṣa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Continue the water-abiding practice; liberation is linked to a foretold event involving Vatsona.