Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 162

Devanagari script

ततस्तोयं समादाय सदर्भं निजपाणिना । शशाप तान्द्विजश्रेष्ठान्कृतघ्नान्पाकशासनः

Transliteration

tatastoyaṃ samādāya sadarbhaṃ nijapāṇinā | śaśāpa tāndvijaśreṣṭhānkṛtaghnānpākaśāsanaḥ

Translation

Darauf nahm Pākaśāsana (Indra) Wasser samt Darbha-Gras in seine eigene Hand und verfluchte jene vorzüglichsten Brāhmaṇas wegen ihrer Undankbarkeit.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/अनन्तरार्थ (then/thereupon)

• तोयम्: water
• तोयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समादाय: having taken
• समादाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-दा (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव-स्वरूप कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘having taken’

• स-दर्भम्: (water) with darbha grass
• स-दर्भम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ (प्रातिपदिक); सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• निजपाणिना: with his own hand
• निजपाणिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (own-hand); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• शशाप: cursed
• शशाप: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• द्विजश्रेष्ठान्: the best Brahmins
• द्विजश्रेष्ठान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (best of Brahmins); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• कृतघ्नान्: ungrateful
• कृतघ्नान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• पाकशासनः: Indra (Punisher of Pāka)
• पाकशासनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाक + शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Punisher of Pāka); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Viśvāmitra (narrator), reporting Indra’s act

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra (Pākaśāsana) holds a small palmful of water with darbha blades; his gaze is stern; the brāhmaṇas stand uneasy as the curse is pronounced, with subtle divine radiance around the water.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Pākaśāsana)
• Darbha grass
• Brāhmaṇas (dvija-śreṣṭha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Words backed by ritual intent carry karmic force; dharma-violations can be answered through sanctioned, symbolic acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it narrates the event within the larger tīrtha-mahātmya context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The act of taking water with darbha (a formal ritual gesture) before pronouncing a curse is indicated.