Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

पुस्तकं चैव युष्माकं चिन्तनीयं सदैव तत् । भवद्भिर्यत्नमास्थाय दृश्यतां क्वापि पुस्तकम्

Transliteration

pustakaṃ caiva yuṣmākaṃ cintanīyaṃ sadaiva tat | bhavadbhiryatnamāsthāya dṛśyatāṃ kvāpi pustakam

Translation

«Эта книга и вправду ваша; о ней следует помнить всегда. Приложите старание и поищите, чтобы где-нибудь книга нашлась».

Word by Word

• पुस्तकम्: the book
• पुस्तकम्: Karma/Viṣaya (Object/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुस्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis)

• युष्माकम्: of you (all)
• युष्माकम्: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• चिन्तनीयम्: should be considered
• चिन्तनीयम्: Kriyā (Predicate—obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (भाव्य/अनियत-कर्तृक: अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be thought/considered’

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis)

• तत्: that (matter/it)
• तत्: Anuvāda/Viṣaya (Reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भवद्भिः: by you (respected sirs)
• भवद्भिः: Karta (Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनामवत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; आदरार्थ-प्रयोग (honorific ‘you’)

• यत्नम्: effort
• यत्नम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आस्थाय: having undertaken
• आस्थाय: Kriyā (पूर्वक्रिया/Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त), ‘having undertaken/adopted’

• दृश्यताम्: let (it) be found/seen
• दृश्यताम्: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग—‘let it be seen/found’

• क्वापि: somewhere/anywhere
• क्वापि: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय) + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place) + अपि (particle)

• पुस्तकम्: the book
• पुस्तकम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुस्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrated speech within the story; likely Pauṇḍraka’s evasive counsel)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pauṇḍraka gestures outward as if organizing a search, while the hidden manuscript remains with him; friends look worried and attentive.

Characters & Entities

• Pauṇḍraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Evasion and misdirection compound wrongdoing; dharma emphasizes straightforward truth rather than clever deflection.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly named in this verse; it remains part of the Adhyāya 58 tīrtha-centered narrative arc.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates the social situation leading toward oath-taking and karmic repercussion.