Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 18
Devanagari script
श्वः कार्यमद्य कुर्वीत पूर्वाह्णे चापराह्णिकम् । न हि प्रतीक्षते मृत्युः कृतं वास्य न वा कृतम्
Transliteration
śvaḥ kāryamadya kurvīta pūrvāhṇe cāparāhṇikam | na hi pratīkṣate mṛtyuḥ kṛtaṃ vāsya na vā kṛtam
Translation
O que deve ser feito amanhã, faze-o hoje; e o que é para a tarde, faze-o pela manhã. Pois a morte não espera para ver se a obra foi feita ou não.
Word by Word
श्वःtomorrow
श्वः:
Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootश्वः (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: tomorrow)
कार्यम्what should be done, duty
कार्यम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; ‘to-be-done’ sense
अद्यtoday
अद्य:
Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअद्य (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: today)
कुर्वीतshould do
कुर्वीत:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद
पूर्वाह्णेin the forenoon
पूर्वाह्णे:
Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootपूर्व-अह्न (प्रातिपदिक); पूर्व + अह्न
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन
चand
च:
Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)
अपराह्णिकम्afternoon rite/act
अपराह्णिकम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootअपर-अह्निक (प्रातिपदिक); अपर + अह्निक
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; (कर्म)
नnot
न:
Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-निपात (negation particle)
हिindeed, for
हि:
Nipata (Particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formहेतौ/अवधारणे निपात (particle: indeed/for)
प्रतीक्षतेwaits (for)
प्रतीक्षते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्रति-ईक्ष् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद
मृत्युःdeath
मृत्युः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन
कृतम्done
कृतम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootकृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; ‘done’ (object of ‘waits for’ in sense)
वाor
वा:
Vikalpa (Alternative/विकल्प)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formविकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive: or)
अस्यof this person / his
अस्य:
Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
नnot
न:
Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-निपात (negation particle)
वाor
वा:
Vikalpa (Alternative/विकल्प)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formविकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)
कृतम्not done / done (in contrast)
कृतम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootकृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन
Speaker
Aśvasena
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A didactic moment: a teacher warns a listener that tomorrow’s work must be done today, for death does not wait; the atmosphere is sober and contemplative.
Characters & Entities
M
Mṛtyu (Death)FAQs
Impermanence demands immediate practice—postponed dharma may never be completed.
None; the verse gives a universal dharma teaching on urgency.
A general injunction to perform duties promptly; it supports the request for a one-day vrata.