Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

अपि वज्रप्रहारेण यस्य रोमापि न च्युतम् । तौ पक्षौ सहसा चास्य कथं निपतितौ भुवि

Transliteration

api vajraprahāreṇa yasya romāpi na cyutam | tau pakṣau sahasā cāsya kathaṃ nipatitau bhuvi

Translation

«حتى بضربةِ الفَجْرَةِ (الفَجْرَة/الفَجْرَة: الفَجْرَة=الفَجْرَة) لا تسقط منه شعرةٌ واحدة؛ فكيف سقط جناحاه فجأةً إلى الأرض؟»

Word by Word

• अपि: even/indeed
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• वज्रप्रहारेण: by the blow of the thunderbolt
• वज्रप्रहारेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vajra + prahāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• रोमा: hair/feather
• रोमा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: roman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Emphasis (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• च्युतम्: fallen/moved
• च्युतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: च्यु (धातु) + च्युत (क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), द्विवचन (Dual)

• पक्षौ: wings
• पक्षौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), द्विवचन (Dual)

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sahasā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb)

• निपतितौ: have fallen down
• निपतितौ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + पत् (धातु) + निपतित (क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), द्विवचन (Dual); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• भुवि: on the ground
• भुवि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Puṇḍarīkākṣa (Viṣṇu) (inferred from immediate narrative context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dramatic tableau: Garuḍa’s wings—symbols of celestial power—are shown fallen or failing, while Viṣṇu contemplates the paradox of the invulnerable being suddenly brought low.

Characters & Entities

• Puṇḍarīkākṣa (Viṣṇu)
• Garuḍa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic miracles are not random; they point to subtle moral and spiritual causes operating beyond ordinary force.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is within a tīrtha-glorifying section, but it does not specify the sacred site in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.