Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 80

Devanagari script

एतदेकं हि मे चित्ते पश्चात्तापकरं स्थितम् । नान्यत्किंचिन्महीपाल कृतकृत्यस्य सर्वतः

Transliteration

etadekaṃ hi me citte paścāttāpakaraṃ sthitam | nānyatkiṃcinmahīpāla kṛtakṛtyasya sarvataḥ

Translation

एतदेवैकं मे चित्ते पश्चात्तापकरं स्थितम्; अन्यत् किञ्चिन्महीपाल सर्वतः कृतकृत्यस्य नास्ति।

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — this

• एकम्: one (single)
• एकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — one/only

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात; कारण/निश्चयार्थ) — indeed/for

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी, एकवचन — my/to me (here: ‘in my mind’ sense with citte)

• चित्ते: in (the) mind
• चित्ते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — in the mind

• पश्चात्तापकरम्: causing regret
• पश्चात्तापकरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्चात्ताप (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — तत्पुरुष (पश्चात्तापं करोति) = causing remorse

• स्थितम्: remains
• स्थितम्: Kriya (Participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + त (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त) — नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘remains/stands’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध) — not

• अन्यत्: anything else
• अन्यत्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — other (thing)

• किंचित्: anything
• किंचित्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (निपात)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — something/anything

• महीपाल: O king
• महीपाल: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन — तत्पुरुष (मही + पाल) ; O king

• कृतकृत्यस्य: of one who has fulfilled (his duty)
• कृतकृत्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतकृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — कर्मधारय (कृतं कृत्यं यस्य) = one who has accomplished his duty

• सर्वतः: in every way
• सर्वतः: Sambandha (Manner/Extent)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (परिमाण/दिशावाचक) — in every way/from all sides

Speaker

King / elder narrator addressing a king (mahīpāla)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (māhīpāla)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dignified figure confesses a single lingering remorse to the king: despite overall fulfillment, one unresolved duty remains; the atmosphere is subdued, intimate, and honest.

Characters & Entities

• mahīpāla (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A life of dharma is measured not only by deeds done, but by the one duty left incomplete—prompt completion of good works prevents remorse.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it prepares for the act of giving a sacred settlement.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it introduces a pending charitable/dhārmic act as the narrator’s remaining concern.