Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

न चचाल निजस्थानात्प्रायश्चित्तविभीषया । नोवाच वचनं सोऽत्र चयनन्यस्तलोचनः

Transliteration

na cacāla nijasthānātprāyaścittavibhīṣayā | novāca vacanaṃ so'tra cayananyastalocanaḥ

Translation

Er wich nicht von seinem Platz, erschrocken beim Gedanken an die Sühne (prāyaścitta); und dort sprach er kein Wort, die Augen fest auf das vor ihm liegende Ritual gerichtet.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• चचाल: moved
• चचाल: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √चल् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• निजस्थानात्: from his own place
• निजस्थानात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (निजं स्थानम्)

• प्रायश्चित्तविभीषया: out of fear of expiation (penance)
• प्रायश्चित्तविभीषया: Hetu/Karana (Cause/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रायश्चित्त + विभीषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (प्रायश्चित्तस्य विभीषा)

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• उवाच: spoke
• उवाच: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• वचनम्: a word
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (here)

• चयनन्यस्तलोचनः: with eyes fixed on the altar-construction (cayana)
• चयनन्यस्तलोचनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चयन + न्यस्त + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (चयने न्यस्ते लोचने यस्य)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual purāṇic narration; likely Sūta/Skanda depending on Nāgarakhaṇḍa frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The hotṛ stands motionless with a serpent coiled around him; his lips are closed, eyes unwavering toward the altar; the assembly watches, realizing his silence is deliberate to avoid ritual fault.

Characters & Entities

• prāyaścitta
• yajña (implied)
• hotṛ (implied from prior verse)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Awareness of prāyaścitta (atonement) reinforces careful conduct; dharma in ritual demands steadiness, restraint, and focus.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it supports the chapter’s broader tīrtha-centered narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prāyaścitta is referenced conceptually, but no specific expiation rite is prescribed in this line.