Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

तच्छ्रुत्वा तत्र कुपितस्तेषामुपरि तत्क्षणात् । अब्रवीत्परुषं वाक्यं विप्राणां पुरतः स्थितः

Transliteration

tacchrutvā tatra kupitasteṣāmupari tatkṣaṇāt | abravītparuṣaṃ vākyaṃ viprāṇāṃ purataḥ sthitaḥ

Translation

Als er dies hörte, geriet er sogleich in Zorn über sie; vor den Brāhmaṇas stehend, sprach er harte Worte.

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘तत्’ (that [news])

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive) — ‘श्रुत्वा’ = having heard

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place) — ‘तत्र’ = there

• kupitaḥ: angry
• kupitaḥ: Visheshana (State of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kupita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √kup)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) — ‘कुपितः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, बहुवचन — ‘तेषाम्’ (of them)

• upari: against, upon
• upari: Prati (Target/प्रति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: upari (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपसर्गसदृश/पूर्वप्रयोग) — ‘उपरि’ = upon/against

• tatkṣaṇāt: immediately
• tatkṣaṇāt: Apadana (Source in time/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + kṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन — ‘तत्क्षणात्’ = immediately/from that moment

• abravīt: said
• abravīt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘अब्रवीत्’

• paruṣam: harsh
• paruṣam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (वाक्यम् इति नपुंसकं प्रति), द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘परुषम्’

• vākyam: speech, words
• vākyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘वाक्यम्’

• viprāṇām: of the brāhmaṇas
• viprāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — ‘विप्राणाम्’ (of the brāhmaṇas)

• purataḥ: in front of
• purataḥ: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: puratas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक) — ‘पुरतः’ = in front of

• sthitaḥ: standing
• sthitaḥ: Kriya-viseshana (State/अवस्था)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √sthā)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP) — ‘स्थितः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (कर्ता-विशेषण)

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (contextual narrator in Tīrtha-māhātmya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra, upon hearing Nārada’s news, flares with anger and speaks sharply while brāhmaṇas stand before him, startled; ritual items remain arranged, heightening the contrast between sacred order and emotional disruption.

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Brāhmaṇas (vipra)
• Viśvedevas (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even powerful beings must guard speech and temper in sacred rites; anger can disturb dharmic proceedings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Gayā-centered tīrtha narrative continues in the background.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new prescription; the verse frames the ritual setting with brāhmaṇas present as officiants/witnesses.