Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

अथ तां विरतां ज्ञात्वा सोऽन्यचित्तां प्रियां नृपः । यत्नेन रक्षयामास विश्वासं नैव गच्छति

Transliteration

atha tāṃ viratāṃ jñātvā so'nyacittāṃ priyāṃ nṛpaḥ | yatnena rakṣayāmāsa viśvāsaṃ naiva gacchati

Translation

अथ तां विरतां ज्ञात्वा सोऽन्यचित्तां प्रियां नृपः। यत्नेन रक्षयामास, विश्वासं नैव गच्छति॥

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse marker (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भ/अनन्तरवाचक (particle: then/now)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विरताम्: withdrawn/ceased (from affection)
• विरताम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (विरत = ceased/withdrawn)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अन्यचित्ताम्: whose mind was elsewhere
• अन्यचित्ताम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य + चित्त (प्रातिपदिक); अन्यचित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (अन्यं चित्तं यस्याः/या)

• प्रियाम्: beloved (woman)
• प्रियाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• यत्नेन: with effort
• यत्नेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• रक्षयामास: protected/guarded
• रक्षयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect) परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; ‘आमास’ परिप्रयोग (periphrastic perfect nuance)

• विश्वासम्: trust
• विश्वासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• गच्छति: goes/comes (to be placed)
• गच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Sūta continues the story)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (Naimiṣāraṇya frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king watches his beloved with guarded concern; attendants discreetly positioned; the beloved appears detached, gaze turned away, creating a visual tension between protection and mistrust.

Characters & Entities

• nṛpa (king)
• priyā (beloved/wife)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When fidelity is broken, mere vigilance cannot restore dharmic harmony; inner integrity is the foundation of trust.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly, the chapter’s tīrtha context frames the story, though this verse focuses on the household aftermath.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.