Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

यत्रयत्र मनो याति स्वकर्मवशगं मृतौ । अवतारस्तत्रतत्र जायते नात्र संशयः

Transliteration

yatrayatra mano yāti svakarmavaśagaṃ mṛtau | avatārastatratatra jāyate nātra saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Куда бы ни устремился ум в час смерти, влекомый силой собственных деяний (кармы), там и там рождается воплощение; в этом нет сомнения.

Word by Word

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb)

• यत्र: wherever
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्त-देशवाचक-अव्यय (correlative emphasis)

• मनः: the mind
• मनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्वकर्मवशगम्: controlled by one’s own karma
• स्वकर्मवशगम्: Karta (Qualifier of subject/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वकर्मवशग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (मनः-विशेषण); समासः—स्वकर्मणः वशगः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• मृतौ: at death
• मृतौ: Adhikarana (Time/occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अवतारः: an incarnation
• अवतारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवतार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (correlative adverb)

• तत्र: there (in each such place)
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्त-देशवाचक-अव्यय (emphatic)

• जायते: is born / arises
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अत्र: here / in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Scope/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्तृ-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrative voice within Tīrthamāhātmya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An allegorical scene: a departing soul with a luminous mind-stream moving toward the object of last contemplation; karmic weights depicted as subtle chains or colors guiding direction; multiple possible wombs/realms faintly shown.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The mind’s final tendency, shaped by karma, directs the next embodiment—therefore dharmic living and devotion must be cultivated now.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse provides a universal doctrinal principle often used to explain why certain places become linked to divine births and manifestations.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed; the implied discipline is sustained cultivation of right-mindedness (bhāva) through dharma, devotion, and practice.