Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

यावत्संवत्सरं सार्धं दैवे पित्र्ये च योजितः । पापकर्मा न विज्ञातः सोऽधुना प्रकटोऽभवत्

Transliteration

yāvatsaṃvatsaraṃ sārdhaṃ daive pitrye ca yojitaḥ | pāpakarmā na vijñātaḥ so'dhunā prakaṭo'bhavat

Translation

ஒரு ஆண்டு அரை காலம் அவன் தேவகாரியங்களிலும் பித்ருகாரியங்களிலும் ஈடுபட்டிருந்தான்; அவன் பாவச் செயல் அறியப்படவில்லை—இப்போது வெளிப்பட்டது.

Word by Word

• यावत्: for as long as
• यावत्: Adhikarana (Temporal extent/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/सम्बन्ध)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अवधि-सूचक (as long as/for the extent of)

• संवत्सरम्: a year
• संवत्सरम्: Karma (Measure/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (Masculine, Accusative, Singular); कालपरिमाण

• सार्धम्: and a half/more by half
• सार्धम्: Sambandha (Measure modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक/परिमाणवाचक (with, plus; 'and a half')

• दैवे: in divine rites
• दैवे: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम् (Neuter, Locative, Singular); 'दैवकर्मणि' (in rites for the gods)

• पित्र्ये: in ancestral rites
• पित्र्ये: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पित्र्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम् (Neuter, Locative, Singular); 'पितृकर्मणि'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• योजितः: was engaged/appointed
• योजितः: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √युज् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (PPP) पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; 'नियुक्तः/संलग्नः'

• पापकर्मा: a sinner/one of sinful acts
• पापकर्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप-कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः: 'पापं कर्म यस्य' (sinful-deeds)

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

• विज्ञातः: was known/recognized
• विज्ञातः: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (PPP) पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; 'ज्ञातः'

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); सर्वनाम

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (now/at present)

• प्रकटः: manifest/revealed
• प्रकटः: Visheshana (Adjectival complement/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रकट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (3rd person singular); परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Narrator (within the Purāṇic frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Montage-like scene: over many months, the same officiant performs deva and pitṛ rites—offerings to fire and water—while a shadow of sin trails him; finally, a moment of exposure breaks the illusion.

Characters & Entities

• daiva rites
• pitṛ rites

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual acts require integrity and rightful eligibility; hidden wrongdoing eventually comes to light and demands correction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is specified in this verse; it frames the crisis within the chapter’s tīrtha context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It mentions daiva and pitṛ rites (including ancestor offerings/śrāddha-type contexts), emphasizing concerns over who performs them.