Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

अवश्यं मानुषेणात्र पशूनां रक्षणाय च । आगंतव्यं कुतोऽप्याशु तस्मात्तिष्ठामि निर्भयः

Transliteration

avaśyaṃ mānuṣeṇātra paśūnāṃ rakṣaṇāya ca | āgaṃtavyaṃ kuto'pyāśu tasmāttiṣṭhāmi nirbhayaḥ

Translation

இந்த மிருகங்களைப் பாதுகாக்க எங்கிருந்தோ விரைவில் மனிதன் ஒருவன் இங்கே வரவேண்டும்; ஆகவே நான் அஞ்சாமல் இங்கேயே நிற்பேன்।

Word by Word

• अवश्यम्: certainly
• अवश्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अवश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: certainly/necessarily)

• मानुषेण: by a human
• मानुषेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• पशूनाम्: of the animals
• पशूनाम्: Sambandha (Possession/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• रक्षणाय: for protection
• रक्षणाय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन (Singular); प्रयोजनार्थे (for purpose)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आगन्तव्यम्: must come
• आगन्तव्यम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Gerundive/Obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘must come’

• कुतः: from where
• कुतः: Kriya-visheshana (Source adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न/अनिश्चित-देशवाचक-अव्यय (from where)

• अपि: even / somehow
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-कारक (particle: even/also/any)

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: quickly)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इति अव्ययीभूत-रूपम् (ablatival adverb: therefore/from that)

• तिष्ठामि: I stay / I stand
• तिष्ठामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular)

• निर्भयः: fearless
• निर्भयः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sūta (deduced; reporting the pilgrim’s thought)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The protagonist stands or sits upright beside the animals, gripping a staff, eyes steady, as if taking a vow to remain; the forest recedes into darkness.

Characters & Entities

• Animals (paśu)
• Human protector (implicit)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Fearlessness is dharma-based: one becomes steady when acting for protection (rakṣaṇa) rather than self-interest.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ajāgṛha, portrayed as a place where protection and refuge are central themes.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is stated; the emphasis is on rakṣaṇa-dharma—staying to ensure safety.