Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

पश्चान्नाशं समभ्येति यावत्तावच्छनैःशनैः । प्रमाणं तस्य निर्दिष्टं लक्षाश्चत्वार एव हि

Transliteration

paścānnāśaṃ samabhyeti yāvattāvacchanaiḥśanaiḥ | pramāṇaṃ tasya nirdiṣṭaṃ lakṣāścatvāra eva hi

Translation

Sau đó, nó dần dần tiến đến sự hoại diệt, từng chút một. Lượng số của nó được nêu rõ là đúng bốn lakṣa (bốn trăm nghìn).

Word by Word

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb: afterwards)

• नाशम्: destruction; ruin
• नाशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समभ्येति: approaches; comes to; reaches
• समभ्येति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अभि + इ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधिबोधक (as long as)

• तावत्: that long
• तावत्: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रत्यवस्थापन (that long)

• शनैः: slowly
• शनैः: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शनैः (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक अव्यय (manner adverb: slowly)

• शनैः: gradually
• शनैः: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शनैः (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक अव्यय (repetition for emphasis)

• प्रमाणम्: measure; extent
• प्रमाणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तस्य: of that; its
• तस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• निर्दिष्टम्: is specified; is stated
• निर्दिष्टम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + दिश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (indicated/defined)

• लक्षाः: lakhs (hundred-thousands)
• लक्षाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• एव: indeed; only
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात (indeed/only)

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थक निपात (particle: for/indeed)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic wheel of time marked with ‘4 lakṣas’ segments; below, a landscape slowly crumbling—temples weathering, rivers shifting—yet a pilgrim continues walking with a lamp.

Characters & Entities

• Kali Yuga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

World-ages are finite and decline progressively; one should prioritize dharma and liberation over temporary conditions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is mentioned here.