Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

यदि यूयं न चान्यत्र प्रयास्यथ मुनीश्वराः । पलायनपरा भूत्वा तद्गत्वा निजमंदिरम्

Transliteration

yadi yūyaṃ na cānyatra prayāsyatha munīśvarāḥ | palāyanaparā bhūtvā tadgatvā nijamaṃdiram

Translation

முனிவரே, நீங்கள் வேறெங்கும் செல்லாவிட்டால், நான் தப்பிச் செல்லும் எண்ணத்துடன் இங்கிருந்து என் இல்லத்திற்குச் செல்வேன்.

Word by Word

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Condition marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional particle ‘if’)

• yūyam: you (all)
• yūyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction ‘and’)

• anyatra: elsewhere
• anyatra: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb ‘elsewhere’)

• prayāsyatha: you will go forth
• prayāsyatha: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + yā (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• munīśvarāḥ: O lords of sages
• munīśvarāḥ: Sambodhana/Address (Vocative sense/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘मुनीनां ईश्वराः’ (genitive-tatpuruṣa)

• palāyanaparāḥ: intent on fleeing
• palāyanaparāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: palāyana (प्रातिपदिक) + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); ‘पलायने पराः’ (locative-tatpuruṣa sense: intent on fleeing)

• bhūtvā: having become
• bhūtvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having become’

• tat: then/there
• tat: Kāla/Deśa (Time/Place adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् उपपद (adverbial ‘then/there’)

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having gone’

• nija: one's own
• nija: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• mandiram: house/dwelling
• mandiram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mandira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Caurā (the thief) (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The thief edges backward, glancing toward his home path; sages remain still, embodying unwavering dharma; the contrast between flight and steadiness is central.

Characters & Entities

• Munīśvaras (great sages)
• Caurā (thief)
• Nija-maṃdira (home)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A turning point in dharma often begins with a concrete decision: to verify, confess, and change one’s course.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific location is stated in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates the thief’s intention to go home and seek clarification.