Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणा ऊचुः । दुःशीलेन पुराऽकारि प्रासादो हरसंभवः । दुर्वासःस्थापितस्यापि भवद्भिस्तुष्ट मानसैः

Transliteration

brāhmaṇā ūcuḥ | duḥśīlena purā'kāri prāsādo harasaṃbhavaḥ | durvāsaḥsthāpitasyāpi bhavadbhistuṣṭa mānasaiḥ

Translation

Die Brāhmaṇas sprachen: „Einst wurde ein mit Hara (Śiva) verbundenes Heiligtum von einem Menschen schlechten Wandels errichtet. Und doch sind eure Herzen selbst gegenüber dem, was Durvāsas eingesetzt hat, in zustimmender Freude zufrieden geworden.“

Word by Word

• brāhmaṇāḥ: the Brahmins
• brāhmaṇāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ūcuḥ: said
• ūcuḥ: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• duḥśīlena: by the ill-natured one
• duḥśīlena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥśīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• purā: formerly
• purā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• akāri: was made
• akāri: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• prāsādaḥ: a temple/palace
• prāsādaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāsāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• hara-saṃbhavaḥ: originating from Hara (Śiva)
• hara-saṃbhavaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hara (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive-determinative: 'of Hara'), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) prāsādaḥ

• durvāsāḥ-sthāpitasya: of (that) which was installed by Durvāsas
• durvāsāḥ-sthāpitasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durvāsas (प्रातिपदिक) + sthāpita (कृदन्त; √sthā/स्थाप्)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive: 'by Durvāsas'), भूतकर्मणि-क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) prāsādasya (understood)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• bhavadbhiḥ: by you (honored ones)
• bhavadbhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural), आदरार्थ-प्रयोग (honorific 'you')

• tuṣṭa: pleased
• tuṣṭa: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tuṣṭa (कृदन्त; √tuṣ/तुष्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि-क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) (implicit subject)

• mānasaiḥ: with minds/with hearts
• mānasaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A council of brāhmaṇas speaks, pointing to an older Śaiva temple built by a morally fallen man; they recall Durvāsas’ installation and express surprised approval.

Characters & Entities

• Hara (Śiva)
• Durvāsas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A sacred installation can retain sanctity and inspire reverence even if its human circumstances were imperfect.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A Hara-connected shrine within the Nāgara Khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya setting; the verse does not name the site explicitly.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it references prior sthāpanā (installation) associated with the sage Durvāsas.