Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

अथ प्राप्तं कुशं दृष्ट्वा हतशेषा द्विजोत्तमाः । प्रोचुस्तं भर्त्सयित्वा तु वचनैः परुषाक्षरैः

Transliteration

atha prāptaṃ kuśaṃ dṛṣṭvā hataśeṣā dvijottamāḥ | procustaṃ bhartsayitvā tu vacanaiḥ paruṣākṣaraiḥ

Translation

Dann, als sie Kuśa kommen sahen, redeten die vornehmsten Brahmanen — nach dem Gemetzel nur als geringer Rest übrig — ihn an und schalten ihn mit harten Worten.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequence/then)

• प्राप्तम्: obtained/reached
• प्राप्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) → प्राप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन (agreeing with ‘कुशम्’)

• कुशम्: Kusha (the person named Kuśa)
• कुशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having seen)

• हतशेषाः: with only a remnant left; survivors
• हतशेषाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत + शेष (प्रातिपदिक); हत (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (हताः शेषाः येषाम्/हतः शेषः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• द्विजोत्तमाः: the best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (द्विजानाम् उत्तमाः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• प्रोचुः: they said
• प्रोचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-उच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• तम्: to him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (object of ‘प्रोचुः’)

• भर्त्सयित्वा: having rebuked
• भर्त्सयित्वा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भर्त्स् (धातु) → भर्त्सयित्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having rebuked)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक (but/indeed)

• वचनैः: with words
• वचनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• परुषाक्षरैः: with harsh syllables; harshly worded
• परुषाक्षरैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परुष + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (परुषाणि अक्षराणि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (agreeing with ‘वचनैः’)

Speaker

Narrator (introducing the brāhmaṇas’ speech to Kuśa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devastated settlement near a sacred locale: a small group of surviving brāhmaṇas, clothes torn and ash-dusted, confront Kuśa as he arrives; their faces show grief and anger; the atmosphere is tense, accusatory.

Characters & Entities

• Kuśa
• Brāhmaṇas (Dvijottamas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma suffers, even revered sages may speak sharply to awaken royal responsibility; protection of the righteous is a core duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader episode belongs to the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra crisis within the Tīrthamāhātmya narrative of Nāgarakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it sets the stage for admonition and counsel.