Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वाग्रे छिद्रकं व्यालयुक्तं दोषैर्विमुच्यते । ग्रहभूतपिशाचोत्थैस्तथान्यैरपि चापदैः

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvāgre chidrakaṃ vyālayuktaṃ doṣairvimucyate | grahabhūtapiśācotthaistathānyairapi cāpadaiḥ

Translation

Wer vorne das mit Schlangen gekennzeichnete „Chidraka“ erblickt, wird von Makeln befreit und von Leiden, die aus besetzenden Geistern (graha), bhūtas und piśācas entstehen, sowie auch von anderen Gefahren.

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Absolutive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा/ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययीभाव (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having seen)

• अग्रे: in front
• अग्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् सप्तमी-एकवचन; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (in front/ahead)

• छिद्रकम्: a small hole/opening
• छिद्रकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छिद्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• व्यालयुक्तम्: associated with a serpent
• व्यालयुक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्याल (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (युज् धातु + क्त)
• Form: तृतीया-तत्पुरुष: ‘व्यालेन युक्तम्’ (connected with a serpent); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of ‘छिद्रकम्’)

• दोषैः: from faults/defects
• दोषैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• विमुच्यते: is freed/released
• विमुच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु) + वि-उपसर्ग
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• ग्रहभूतपिशाचोत्थैः: arising from grahas, spirits, and piśācas
• ग्रहभूतपिशाचोत्थैः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + पिशाच (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘ग्रह-भूत-पिशाचैः उत्थैः’ (arisen from); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of ‘आपदैः’)

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक (likewise/and also)

• अन्यैः: other
• अन्यैः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of ‘आपदैः’)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चय (also/even)

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

• आपदैः: from calamities/dangers
• आपदैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta (tīrtha-phala description)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Chidraka (serpent-marked protective marker) at Ambā-Revatī kṣetra

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the shrine’s entrance stands the ‘Chidraka’—a cleft/holed stone or emblematic marker entwined with serpent imagery; a devotee gazes upon it and appears relieved as shadowy ‘graha/bhūta/piśāca’ forms dissolve.

Characters & Entities

• Chidraka
• Vyāla (serpents)
• Graha
• Bhūta
• Piśāca

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In tīrtha-māhātmya, even darśana (sacred seeing) is presented as a purifying, protective act that dispels seen and unseen afflictions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A site-feature called ‘Chidraka’ associated with serpents (vyāla-yukta) within the same Nāgara Khaṇḍa sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśana: beholding the Chidraka at the site as a protective and purificatory practice.