Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 90

Devanagari script

यावंतस्ते स्थिताः शिष्यास्तावद्भिर्दिवसैरहम् । तवादेशं करिष्यामि नोचेद्यास्यामि दूरतः

Transliteration

yāvaṃtaste sthitāḥ śiṣyāstāvadbhirdivasairaham | tavādeśaṃ kariṣyāmi nocedyāsyāmi dūrataḥ

Translation

ตราบใดที่ยังมีศิษย์พำนักอยู่กับท่าน ข้าพเจ้าจะปฏิบัติตามบัญชาของท่านตราบนั้น; หากไม่เป็นเช่นนั้น ข้าพเจ้าจะจากไปไกล

Word by Word

• यावन्तः: as many as
• यावन्तः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यावत् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; परिमाणवाचक-विशेषणम्

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• स्थिताः: are staying/remaining
• स्थिताः: Karta (Predicate complement/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (past participle), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; ‘ते’ इत्यस्य विधेय/विशेषणम्

• शिष्याः: disciples
• शिष्याः: Karta (Subject apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; ‘ते’ इत्यस्य अप्पोजिशन

• तावत्: so many
• तावत्: Sambandha (Measure/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावत् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक-विशेषणम्; अत्र ‘दिवसैः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (so many)

• भिः: by/with (instrumental plural ending)
• भिः: Karana (Instrumental marker/करण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भिस् (विभक्ति-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तृतीया-बहुवचन-प्रत्ययः; पदच्छेदे ‘तावद्भिः’ इति समास/सन्ध्यन्तरित-रूपम्

• दिवसैः: by (so many) days
• दिवसैः: Adhikarana (Time-span/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम्

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), एकवचनम्

• आदेशम्: instruction
• आदेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• करिष्यामि: I will do/fulfil
• करिष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

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

• उचित्: if (otherwise)
• उचित्: Sambandha (Conditional particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/विकल्पार्थे ‘उचित्/चेत्’ इत्यर्थे; अत्र पाठः ‘नोचेत्’ = न + उ + चेत् (if not)

• यास्यामि: I will go
• यास्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• दूरतः: far away
• दूरतः: Sambandha (Manner/place/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत् (ablatival adverb: ‘from afar/at a distance’)

Speaker

Yājñavalkya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yājñavalkya indicates a measured timeline—counting days on fingers or pointing to the disciples gathered around the guru; a path leading away suggests impending departure.

Characters & Entities

• Yājñavalkya
• Śākalya (implied)
• Disciples (śiṣyāḥ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

One may honor social order and obligations temporarily, yet must ultimately choose a path aligned with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative trajectory leads to Viśvāmitra-hrada, a tīrtha associated with cleansing and renewed spiritual practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it is a vow-like statement setting up the subsequent tīrtha actions.