Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

अशक्तश्चलितुं स्थानादपि चैकं पदं क्वचित् । तेजो हीनोऽपि रौद्रेण चिन्तयामास वै ततः

Transliteration

aśaktaścalituṃ sthānādapi caikaṃ padaṃ kvacit | tejo hīno'pi raudreṇa cintayāmāsa vai tataḥ

Translation

Incapaz de se mover daquele lugar, nem sequer de dar um único passo, embora seu vigor tivesse esmorecido, ele então refletiu intensamente, tomado por uma angústia áspera e ardente.

Word by Word

• अशक्तः: unable, powerless
• अशक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• चलितुम्: to move
• चलितुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चल् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), क्रियार्थक अव्यय-स्वरूप; गत्यर्थक धातु

• स्थानात्: from (his) place
• स्थानात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (also/even)

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

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• पदम्: step
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• क्वचित्: anywhere, at any time
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• तेजः: vigor, energy
• तेजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हीनः: devoid (of)
• हीनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अपि: even though
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), concessive (even though)

• रौद्रेण: with fury, in wrath
• रौद्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• चिन्तयामास: he thought
• चिन्तयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तस्मात्-प्रभव अव्यय; क्रम/हेतु/स्थानवाचक (then/from there)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A weakened brāhmaṇa stands or sits frozen at a spot, unable to take even one step; his face shows scorching inner anguish as he broods, the landscape hinting at a sacred route or pastureland nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Dvija pilgrim (implicit)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When bodily power collapses, the narrative turns the seeker inward; intense reflection becomes the doorway to understanding dharma and the tīrtha’s grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ajāgṛha, as the immediate setting where the pilgrim’s crisis and ensuing realization unfold.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the emphasis is on cintana (deep reflection) arising from the ordeal.