Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

प्राप्तान्न लभंते ते भोगान्भोक्तुं स्वकर्मणा कृपणाः । मुखपाकः किल भवति द्राक्षापाके बलिभुजानाम्

Transliteration

prāptānna labhaṃte te bhogānbhoktuṃ svakarmaṇā kṛpaṇāḥ | mukhapākaḥ kila bhavati drākṣāpāke balibhujānām

Translation

إنّ البخلاء، بعملهم هم، لا ينالون لذّاتٍ ليتمتّعوا بما قد حصّلوا. حقًّا، حتى آكلو القرابين قد يصيبهم «حَرَقُ الفم» ولو كانت العناقيد تُطبَخ—فبالقَدَر ينقلب الحلو ألمًا.

Word by Word

• प्राप्तान्: obtained
• प्राप्तान्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; 'obtained' (भोगान् विशेषयति)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• लभन्ते: obtain, get
• लभन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• भोगान्: enjoyments
• भोगान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• भोक्तुम्: to enjoy
• भोक्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमन्त (infinitive): 'to enjoy/eat'

• स्वकर्मणा: by their own deeds
• स्वकर्मणा: Karana (Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक: स्व + कर्मन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य कर्म)

• कृपणाः: miserly people
• कृपणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• मुखपाकः: mouth-soreness (a mouth ailment)
• मुखपाकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख-पाक (प्रातिपदिक: मुख + पाक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थे (मुखस्य पाकः = मुखरोग/मुखदाह)

• किल: indeed, it is said
• किल: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रसिद्ध्यर्थक/खलु-अर्थे अव्यय (indeed, it is said)

• भवति: occurs, becomes
• भवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• द्राक्षापाके: at the ripening of grapes
• द्राक्षापाके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्राक्षा-पाक (प्रातिपदिक: द्राक्षा + पाक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्राक्षायाः पाकः)

• बलिभुजानाम्: of those who eat offerings (sacrificial eaters)
• बलिभुजानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि-भुज् (प्रातिपदिक: बलि + भुज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (बलिं भुङ्क्ते इति)

Speaker

Narrative voice within Tīrthamāhātmya (contextual speaker not explicit in the excerpt)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A miser sits before a sweet dish of grapes, yet his mouth burns; beside him, a donor eats simple food peacefully—showing karma’s reversal.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Karma shapes one’s capacity to enjoy; miserliness and wrong conduct make even legitimate pleasures turn into suffering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named directly; the verse offers ethical instruction consistent with tīrtha-mahātmya ideals.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed; the implied corrective is dharmic living—especially generosity and right use of wealth.