Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

न तेन रहितो मर्त्ये मुहूर्तमपि चोत्सहे । स्थातुं राक्षसशार्दूल बांधवेन महात्मना

Transliteration

na tena rahito martye muhūrtamapi cotsahe | sthātuṃ rākṣasaśārdūla bāṃdhavena mahātmanā

Translation

ఓ రాక్షసశార్దూలా, ఆ మహాత్మ బంధువు లేక నేను మర్త్యలోకంలో క్షణమాత్రమూ నిలువలేను।

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेधः) = negation "not"

• tena: with him
• tena: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः/नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया (करण), एकवचनम् = "with/by him"

• rahitaḥ: bereft (of)
• rahitaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (अहम् implied) = "deprived of, without"

• martye: in the mortal world
• martye: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: martya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचनम् = "in the mortal world"

• muhūrtam: a moment
• muhūrtam: Karma (Extent/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muhūrta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया, एकवचनम् = "a moment"

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अपि) = "even"

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयः) = "and"

• utsahae: I am able/dare
• utsahae: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud+sah (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकालः), उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, आत्मनेपदम् = "I am able/dare"; न ... उत्सहे = "I cannot"

• sthātum: to stay
• sthātum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive) = "to stay/stand"

• rākṣasa-śārdūla: O tiger among Rākṣasas
• rākṣasa-śārdūla: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa+śārdūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारयार्थः = "O tiger among Rākṣasas"

• bāṃdhavena: with (my) kinsman
• bāṃdhavena: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṃdhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम् = "with (my) kinsman/friend"

• mahātmanā: with the great-souled (one)
• mahātmanā: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā+ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः = "with the great-souled one"; विशेषणम् bāṃdhavena इत्यस्य

Speaker

Rāma (implied, addressing Vibhīṣaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma expresses inability to remain on earth even for a moment without Lakṣmaṇa; Vibhīṣaṇa listens, moved; the scene is intimate, emphasizing bond and grief.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Lakṣmaṇa (implied by context)
• Rākṣasa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Association with the righteous is life-sustaining; separation from the noble-hearted is depicted as unbearable.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits inside a tīrtha-glorification chapter, but this line itself focuses on ethical-emotional teaching rather than naming a site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual instruction appears in this verse.