Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

वेदनार्त्तोज्ज्वलवपुर्महाशापाभिभूतधीः । तं तथा पतितं दृष्ट्वा त आजग्मुर्महर्षयः

Transliteration

vedanārttojjvalavapurmahāśāpābhibhūtadhīḥ | taṃ tathā patitaṃ dṛṣṭvā ta ājagmurmaharṣayaḥ

Translation

Sein Leib loderte im Schmerz der Qual, und sein Geist war von einem großen Fluch überwältigt. Als die großen Weisen ihn so gefallen sahen, eilten sie an jenen Ort.

Word by Word

• वेदनार्त्तोज्ज्वलवपुः: whose body was bright yet pained by agony
• वेदनार्त्तोज्ज्वलवपुः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेदना (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक) + उज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक) + वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्य वपुः वेदनया आर्तं उज्ज्वलं च)

• महाशापाभिभूतधीः: whose mind was overwhelmed by a great curse
• महाशापाभिभूतधीः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाशाप (महा + शाप) + अभि-भूत (कृदन्त-क्त from भू with अभि) + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्य धीः महाशापेन अभिभूता)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तथा: thus/in that state
• तथा: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in that manner)

• पतितम्: fallen
• पतितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (past participle) ‘पतित’; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (तम् इति)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); धातु: दृश्

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• आजग्मुः: came
• आजग्मुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: आ

• महर्षयः: great sages
• महर्षयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in a māhātmya frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A blazing-bodied figure writhes in pain under a great curse; from the horizon, austere sages with matted hair and waterpots hurry toward him, faces filled with concern.

Characters & Entities

• Maharṣis (great sages)
• Maheśvara (implied in context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even exalted beings may appear afflicted due to the force of destiny/curse, prompting sages to respond with concern and dharmic action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within a Tīrthamāhātmya context of the Nāgarakhaṇḍa, but this single shloka does not name a specific tīrtha explicitly.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated in this verse.