Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

अपूजया विनाशं च यास्यत्यत्र न संशयः । तव वंशोद्भवा ये च पूजयित्वा प्रभक्तितः

Transliteration

apūjayā vināśaṃ ca yāsyatyatra na saṃśayaḥ | tava vaṃśodbhavā ye ca pūjayitvā prabhaktitaḥ

Translation

Durch Vernachlässigung der Verehrung gelangt man hier ins Verderben — daran besteht kein Zweifel. Doch wer aus deinem Geschlecht geboren ist und (diesen Liṅga) in tiefer Hingabe verehrt, erlangt glückverheißende Früchte.

Word by Word

• अपूजयā: by non-worship
• अपूजयā: Karana (Instrument/means; करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘अ-’ नञ्-पूर्वक

• विनाशम्: destruction
• विनाशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

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

• यास्यति: will attain
• यास्यति: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वंशोद्भवाः: those born in (your) lineage
• वंशोद्भवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वंशस्य उद्भवाः)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

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

• पूजयित्वा: having worshipped
• पूजयित्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पूज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having worshipped’

• प्रभक्तितः: out of great devotion
• प्रभक्तितः: Hetu (Cause/source/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘-तः’ (from/out of)

Speaker

Contextual narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa (speaker not explicitly marked in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two contrasted vignettes: on one side a neglected shrine with extinguished lamps and withering garlands symbolizing ruin; on the other, descendants offering flowers and bilva with intense devotion, symbolizing auspiciousness.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Neglect of worship at a sacred Śaiva site leads to spiritual and worldly decline, while devoted pūjā brings auspiciousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A Nāgarakhaṇḍa tīrtha connected to the installation and worship of a Śiva-liṅga (contextually culminating in Kaṃsārīśvara).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular worship (pūjā) of the Liṅga with sincere devotion; avoidance of apūjā (neglect).