Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

एकं मामिह संत्यज्य कथं लोकांतरं गता । प्राणेभ्योपि प्रियां त्यक्त्वा कथं जीवितुमुत्सहे

Transliteration

ekaṃ māmiha saṃtyajya kathaṃ lokāṃtaraṃ gatā | prāṇebhyopi priyāṃ tyaktvā kathaṃ jīvitumutsahe

Translation

Iniwan mo akong nag-iisa rito—paano ka naparoon sa ibang daigdig? Tinalikuran mo ang higit kong minamahal kaysa hininga; paano pa ako magkakaroon ng loob na mabuhay?

Word by Word

• एकम्: one (alone)
• एकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• संत्यज्य: having abandoned
• संत्यज्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-tyaj (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund); सम्+त्यज् धातोः; पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Sambandha (Interrogative modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• लोकान्तरम्: another world; the other world
• लोकान्तरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लोकस्य अन्तरम्)

• गता: gone
• गता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्राणेभ्यः: than (my) lives/breaths
• प्राणेभ्यः: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: even/also)

• प्रियाम्: beloved (woman)
• प्रियाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: priyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• त्यक्त्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tyaj (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund); त्यज् धातोः; पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Sambandha (Interrogative modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

• जीवितुम्: to live
• जीवितुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jīv (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive); जीव् धातोः

• उत्सहे: I am able; I dare
• उत्सहे: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ut-sah (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

Speaker

A grieving woman (queen/consort) addressing the king (inferred from the immediate continuation 'rājan' in the next verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A bereaved speaker addresses the departed beloved/king, seated or kneeling beside an empty seat or funeral setting; hands raised in lament, eyes tearful; attendants silent in the background.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Human grief is acknowledged, yet it is framed against the higher demand of dharma—life must be oriented toward duty rather than emotional collapse.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; the focus is ethical instruction (dharma) within a narrative context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated here; it is an emotional lament that sets up a dharmic critique in the following verses.