Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 119

Devanagari script

सत्यं तव व्रतं मन्ये नरकाय त्वयाऽदृतम् । अत्यनर्थे न भीः कार्या कामोयं भविताचिरात्

Transliteration

satyaṃ tava vrataṃ manye narakāya tvayā'dṛtam | atyanarthe na bhīḥ kāryā kāmoyaṃ bhavitācirāt

Translation

Ta cho rằng lời thệ nguyện của ngài quả thật được ôm giữ vì chính địa ngục. Trong cảnh hoại diệt tột cùng ấy, chớ nuôi sợ hãi—dục vọng của ngài sẽ sớm thành tựu.

Word by Word

• satyam: true; truly
• satyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; वाक्ये विधेय-भावे (as predicative/indeclinable-like usage)

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vratam: vow, observance
• vratam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• manye: I think, I consider
• manye: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (मन्)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• narakāya: for hell
• narakāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• adṛtam: undertaken/accepted (with regard)
• adṛtam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√dṛ (दृ/दर्; आदरार्थे) क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• ati-anarthe: in great misfortune
• ati-anarthe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ati (अव्यय) + anartha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अत्यन्तोऽनर्थः)

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

• bhīḥ: fear
• bhīḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kāryā: to be done/should be made
• kāryā: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (gerundive sense: 'to be done')

• kāmaḥ: desire, love
• kāmaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ayam: this
• ayam: Viśeṣya (Apposition/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• bhavitā: will happen/come to be
• bhavitā: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• acirāt: soon, before long
• acirāt: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: acirāt (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Unclear from snippet; sarcastic/critical voice in the dialogue

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stern admonisher confronts a vow-taker whose face shows stubborn desire; behind them, a symbolic vision of a dark path (nāraka) and a bright path (dharma).

Characters & Entities

• Vrata (vow)
• Naraka (hell)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vows without right intention and discernment can become spiritually destructive; desire-driven observance is criticized.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse is moral critique rather than a tirtha-māhātmya statement.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vrata is mentioned, but as a cautionary example—highlighting that observance must align with dharma.