Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

ततो ऽहं लज्जया नष्टा दृष्ट्वा श्वशुरसंगमान् । येन भुक्तानि भोज्यानि पुरा मृष्टान्यनेकशः

Transliteration

tato 'haṃ lajjayā naṣṭā dṛṣṭvā śvaśurasaṃgamān | yena bhuktāni bhojyāni purā mṛṣṭānyanekaśaḥ

Translation

Da wurde ich von Scham überwältigt, als ich jene Zusammenkünfte mit meinem Schwiegervater und den Ältesten sah, durch die einst viele feine Speisen immer wieder verzehrt worden waren.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (then/from there)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• lajjayā: out of shame
• lajjayā: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lajjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• naṣṭā: was lost/vanished
• naṣṭā: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: naś (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund), पूर्वकालिक

• śvaśura-saṃgamān: meetings/contacts with the father-in-law
• śvaśura-saṃgamān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śvaśura (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (śvaśurasya saṃgamāḥ)

• yena: by which / whereby
• yena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुं/नपुंसक; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• bhuktāni: eaten
• bhuktāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• bhojyāni: foods to be eaten / dishes
• bhojyāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhojya (प्रातिपदिक; √bhuj)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• purā: formerly
• purā: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly)

• mṛṣṭāni: delicious/dainty, well-prepared
• mṛṣṭāni: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक; √mṛj)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• anekaśaḥ: many times
• anekaśaḥ: Sambandha (Frequency/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anekaśaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/आवृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (many times, repeatedly)

Speaker

Unspecified female speaker within the narrative (context suggests Sītā speaking to Rāma)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Raghusattama/Raghūttama

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The speaker turns away, face lowered, overwhelmed by shame; in the background stand dignified elder figures (father-in-law and seniors), while memories of past feasts are symbolized by offering trays now appearing as burdens of obligation.

Characters & Entities

• śvaśura (father-in-law)
• elders/ancestors
• food (bhojya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It highlights modesty and social-dharmic sensitivity when confronted with revered elders, especially within a sacred setting.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader chapter is a tīrtha-māhātmya, but the exact site is not identified in this excerpt.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse conveys an emotional-dharmic response within the sacred narrative.