Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

यदार्येण प्रतिज्ञातमर्जुनेन महात्मना । न मर्षयामि तद्वाक्यं कालक्षेपो महानयम्

Transliteration

yadāryeṇa pratijñātamarjunena mahātmanā | na marṣayāmi tadvākyaṃ kālakṣepo mahānayam

Translation

यदार्येण महात्मना अर्जुनेन प्रतिज्ञातं तद्वाक्यं न मर्षयामि; एष महान् कालक्षेपः।

Word by Word

• yad: which/that (thing)
• yad: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd-प्रथमा/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun (यत्-प्रत्यय)

• āryeṇa: by the noble one
• āryeṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• pratijñātam: promised/pledged
• pratijñātam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati√jñā (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (कर्मणि-भूतकृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय); Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• arjunena: by Arjuna
• arjunena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arjuna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahātmanā: by the great-souled one
• mahātmanā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक: mahā + ātman)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); समास: महा + आत्मन् (विशेषण-विशेष्यभाव)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• marṣayāmi: I tolerate/forgive
• marṣayāmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √marṣ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/Present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Uttama-puruṣa (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally

• vākyaṃ: statement/word
• vākyaṃ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kālakṣepaḥ: waste of time/delay
• kālakṣepaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālakṣepa (प्रातिपदिक: kāla + kṣepa)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); समास: कालस्य क्षेपः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• mahān: great
• mahān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ayam: this
• ayam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Warrior-speaker within the narrative (Bhīma implied); framed by Sūta’s narration

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Guptakṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A warrior-speaker, eyes blazing, rebukes delay while invoking Arjuna’s vow; the background hints at a hidden sacred grove/kshetra aura.

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma values keeping vows (pratijñā) and acting decisively rather than losing time in empty talk.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader episode is situated around Guptakṣetra, whose sanctity empowers the protagonists.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse centers on vows, resolve, and timely action.