Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

स सदा नंदभद्रस्य विलोकयति चांतरम् । छिद्रं चेदस्य पश्यामि ततो धर्मान्निवर्तये

Transliteration

sa sadā naṃdabhadrasya vilokayati cāṃtaram | chidraṃ cedasya paśyāmi tato dharmānnivartaye

Translation

Stets spähte er bei Nandabhadra nach einem Makel. „Wenn ich auch nur eine einzige Lücke in ihm finde, dann werde ich ihn vom Dharma abbringen“, dachte er.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• नन्दभद्रस्य: of Nandabhadra
• नन्दभद्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दभद्र (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (proper name)

• विलोकयति: observes/looks at
• विलोकयति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + लोक् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातुः लोक् = पश्यति (to look)

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

• अन्तरम्: the inner (fault/secret)
• अन्तरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘अन्तर’ = अन्तराल/अन्तःकरण/गुप्तभाव (inner aspect)

• छिद्रम्: a flaw
• छिद्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक निपात (conditional particle ‘if’)

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पश्यामि: I see
• पश्यामि: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्-अर्थे (ablatival adverb ‘then/from that’)

• धर्मात्: from dharma (righteousness)
• धर्मात्: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• निवर्तये: I will turn (him) away / withdraw
• निवर्तये: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense in usage ‘to make turn back/withdraw’ (निवर्तयति)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The antagonist circles Nandabhadra’s daily life—watching his rituals, charity, and conduct—like a predator seeking an opening; Nandabhadra remains steady, framed by symbols of dharma (lamp, water-pot, scripture).

Characters & Entities

• Nandabhadra
• dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Fault-finding and the wish to derail others from dharma is itself a grave spiritual corruption.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is specified; the verse advances the moral narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it warns against malicious intent and sabotage of dharma.