Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

न केनापि कृतोऽस्माकं तिरस्कारो यथाऽधुना । त्वां मुक्त्वा पापकर्माणं न्यायमार्गविवर्जितम्

Transliteration

na kenāpi kṛto'smākaṃ tiraskāro yathā'dhunā | tvāṃ muktvā pāpakarmāṇaṃ nyāyamārgavivarjitam

Translation

ما أهاننا أحدٌ قط كما يُفعل الآن—إلا أنت، فاعلَ الآثام، الذي تركتَ سبيل العدل والإنصاف.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• केन: by whom; by anyone
• केन: Karana (Instrument/Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• अपि: even; at all
• अपि: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-भाव-अव्यय (particle: even/also; with negation = 'at all')

• कृतः: done; made
• कृतः: Karta (Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + kṛta (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘तिरस्कारः’ इति विशेषण/विधेय

• अस्माकम्: of us
• अस्माकम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तिरस्कारः: insult; contempt
• तिरस्कारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tiraskāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• यथा: as; like
• यथा: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (as/like)

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhunā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (now)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मुक्त्वा: having left; except
• मुक्त्वा: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √muc (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): पूर्वकाल (having left/excepting)

• पापकर्माणम्: one of sinful deeds
• पापकर्माणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa-karman (प्रातिपदिक); pāpa + karman
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (पापं कर्म यस्य) ‘त्वाम्’ इति विशेषण

• न्यायमार्गविवर्जितम्: devoid of the path of justice
• न्यायमार्गविवर्जितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nyāya-mārga-vivarjita (प्रातिपदिक); nyāya + mārga + vivarjita
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (vavarjita PPP) समासान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (न्यायमार्गं विवर्जितः) ‘त्वाम्’ इति विशेषण

Speaker

Nāgara brāhmaṇas (collectively), reproaching the offender (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nāgara-kṣetra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tense confrontation: the speaker condemns a wrongdoer who has abandoned justice and commits sinful acts, causing unprecedented contempt toward the community.

Characters & Entities

• Nāgara brāhmaṇas (implied collective)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Disrespect toward dharmic custodians and abandonment of righteous conduct (nyāya) is condemned as sinful and spiritually harmful.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The admonition occurs within Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s tīrtha-setting, where local sacred order and ritual authority are central to the site’s mahātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; the verse functions as a moral-ritual warning: maintain nyāya (right conduct) and proper respect in sacred proceedings.