Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

देवा ऊचुः । भगवन्पापसक्तस्य धर्मराजस्य केवलम् । न त्वमर्हसि शापेन शूद्रं कर्तुं कथंचन

Transliteration

devā ūcuḥ | bhagavanpāpasaktasya dharmarājasya kevalam | na tvamarhasi śāpena śūdraṃ kartuṃ kathaṃcana

Translation

قالت الآلهة: «أيها المبجَّل، لمجرّد أن دارماراجا ملازمٌ لمعاقبة الإثم، لا يليق بك أن تجعله بلعنةٍ شُودْرًا (Śūdra) على أي وجهٍ كان».

Word by Word

• devāḥ: the gods
• devāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• bhagavan: O Lord
• bhagavan: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• pāpa-saktasya: of one attached to sin
• pāpa-saktasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + sakta (कृदन्त; √sañj/√saj)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष (पापे सक्तः)

• dharmarājasya: of Dharmarāja (Yama)
• dharmarājasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma-rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष (धर्मस्य राजा)

• kevalam: only; merely
• kevalam: Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kevala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/adverbial)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• arhasi: are fit; ought
• arhasi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• śāpena: by a curse
• śāpena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• śūdram: a Śūdra
• śūdram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūdra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• kartum: to make
• kartum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), क्रियार्थ (purpose)

• kathaṃcana: in any way; at all
• kathaṃcana: Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kathaṃcana (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indefinite adverb)

Speaker

Devas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Māṇḍavya Ṛṣi

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial assembly: devas with folded hands plead before the stern ascetic Māṇḍavya; in the background stands Dharmarāja, grave and restrained, as the moral tension between justice and mercy fills the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Māṇḍavya
• Dharmarāja

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when punishment seems harsh, the role of dharmic governance is defended; the gods advocate restraint and balance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific holy site is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.