Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

यथा न संततिच्छेदो जायते प्रपितामह । अस्माकं सर्वलोकेषु तथा त्वं कर्तुमर्हसि

Transliteration

yathā na saṃtaticchedo jāyate prapitāmaha | asmākaṃ sarvalokeṣu tathā tvaṃ kartumarhasi

Translation

प्रपितामह! यथा न संततिच्छेदो जायतेऽस्माकं सर्वलोकेषु, तथा त्वं कर्तुमर्हसि।

Word by Word

• यथा: so that, in such a way that
• यथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/उपमानार्थक (adverb/conjunction: 'so that/as')

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

• संततिच्छेदः: break in lineage/continuity
• संततिच्छेदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संतति-छेद (प्रातिपदिक; संतति + छेद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• जायते: arises, happens
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपद

• प्रपितामह: O great-grandfather (Brahmā)
• प्रपितामह: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रपितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अस्माकम्: of us
• अस्माकम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सर्वलोकेषु: in all worlds
• सर्वलोकेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-लोक (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + लोक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदर्थक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'thus/so')

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• कर्तुम्: to do, to make
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive); अव्ययवत् प्रयोग

• अर्हसि: ought, are able/deserve
• अर्हसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

Speaker

Nāgas

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Prapitāmaha (Brahmā)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nāgas, solemn and subdued, address Brahmā as Great-Grandfather, pleading that their lineage not be severed across worlds; the scene emphasizes cosmic genealogy.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Prapitāmaha)
• Nāgas
• Sarvaloka (all worlds)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Continuity of beings is part of cosmic balance; divine governance prevents total annihilation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a petition for protection and continuity.