Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

तदा रौद्राणि याम्यानि नैरृत्यानि विशेषतः । आग्नेयानि त्वनिष्टानि तथा नाशकराणि च

Transliteration

tadā raudrāṇi yāmyāni nairṛtyāni viśeṣataḥ | āgneyāni tvaniṣṭāni tathā nāśakarāṇi ca

Translation

…dann entstehen stattdessen Zeichen von grimmiger Art—yama-bezogen und besonders nairṛta-bezogen; ebenso agni-bezogene Hinweise, unheilvoll, die Verlust und Verderben bringen.

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक) = temporal adverb

• रौद्राणि: fierce; pertaining to Rudra
• रौद्राणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन = Neuter Nom./Acc. Plural; विशेषण

• याम्यानि: pertaining to Yama
• याम्यानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन = Neuter Nom./Acc. Plural; विशेषण

• नैरृत्यानि: pertaining to Nirṛti
• नैरृत्यानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नैरृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन = Neuter Nom./Acc. Plural; विशेषण

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb ‘especially’

• आग्नेयानि: pertaining to Agni
• आग्नेयानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आग्नेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन = Neuter Nom./Acc. Plural; विशेषण

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विरोध/विशेषबोधक) = particle

• अनिष्टानि: undesirable, inauspicious
• अनिष्टानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन = Neuter Nom./Acc. Plural; विशेषण

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb

• नाशकराणि: causing destruction
• नाशकराणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाश + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन = Neuter Nom./Acc. Plural; तत्पुरुषः (उपपद) ‘नाशं करोति’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक) = conjunction

Speaker

Viśvāmitra (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sudden shift from calm ritual to ominous signs: fierce Rudra-like energy, Yama-associated darkness, Nairṛta (southwest) dread, and Agni’s destructive aspect—smoke, disturbed fire, anxious faces.

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Yama
• Nairṛta
• Agni

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When inner assent and harmony are absent, the tradition reads the moment as spiritually misaligned, marked by inauspicious and destructive indications.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is embedded in the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra-māhātmya narrative within Nāgara-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A warning: interpret fierce, Yama/Nairṛta/Agni-associated signs as ‘aniṣṭa’ and potentially ruinous for proceeding.