Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

सोऽब्रवीच्छापभ्रष्टेयं गन्धर्वी ब्राह्मणालये । अवतीर्णा विधेर्यज्ञे मुक्ति रस्याः प्रकीर्तिता

Transliteration

so'bravīcchāpabhraṣṭeyaṃ gandharvī brāhmaṇālaye | avatīrṇā vidheryajñe mukti rasyāḥ prakīrtitā

Translation

Er sprach: „Diese Gandharvī ist durch einen Fluch aus ihrem Stand gefallen und in das Haus eines Brāhmaṇa herabgestiegen. Im Opfer Brahmās (Vidhi) ist ihre Befreiung verkündet worden.“

Word by Word

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

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• शापभ्रष्टा: fallen due to a curse / curse-stricken
• शापभ्रष्टा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाप + भ्रष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-आधारित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• इयम्: this (woman)
• इयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• गन्धर्वी: a Gandharva-woman
• गन्धर्वी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणालये: in the Brahmin’s abode/house
• ब्राह्मणालये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• अवतीर्णा: descended
• अवतीर्णा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव + तॄ (धातु) → अवतीर्ण (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), विशेषण

• विधेः: of Brahmā (Vidhī)
• विधेः: Sambandha (Relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• यज्ञे: in the sacrifice
• यज्ञे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• मुक्तिः: liberation
• मुक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• अस्याः: of her
• अस्याः: Sambandha (Relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• प्रकीर्तिता: has been proclaimed/declared
• प्रकीर्तिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + कीर्त् (धातु) → प्रकीर्तित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), (मुक्तिः इति) विशेष्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Brahmā (Vidhi/Pitāmaha) or the presiding divine authority responding (deduced from immediate context of Bhṛgu’s report)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A curse-fallen Gandharvī, subdued and sorrowful, is shown entering or dwelling near a brāhmaṇa household; in the background a luminous yajña-vedī associated with Brahmā is hinted, signifying proclaimed liberation.

Characters & Entities

• Gandharvī
• Śāpa (curse)
• Brāhmaṇa household
• Brahmā (Vidhi)
• Yajña
• Mukti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma teaches that even curse-born suffering can culminate in liberation when aligned with sacred rites and divine ordinance—grace operates through yajña and holy narrative destiny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse emphasizes liberation within a larger Tīrthamāhātmya episode; the specific earthly tīrtha is not named in the shloka itself.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A connection to ‘Vidhi’s yajña’ (Brahmā’s sacrifice) is mentioned as the context in which her mukti is declared.