Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 95

Devanagari script

नास्तिका भिन्नमर्यादा ये च विप्रस्य घातकाः । ते सर्वेऽत्र नरा नित्यमारुहंति पतंति च

Transliteration

nāstikā bhinnamaryādā ye ca viprasya ghātakāḥ | te sarve'tra narā nityamāruhaṃti pataṃti ca

Translation

Ungläubige (nāstika), die die Grenzen des Dharma überschreiten, und jene, die einem Brāhmaṇa Schaden zufügen—alle solche Menschen steigen an diesem Ort fortwährend auf und stürzen wieder, in wiederholten Fall geraten sie.

Word by Word

• नास्तिकाः: atheists/deniers
• नास्तिकाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नास्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• भिन्न-मर्यादाः: of broken conduct/limits
• भिन्न-मर्यादाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिन्न (कृदन्त, क्त; भिद्) + मर्यादा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘broken (in) boundaries/discipline’

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• विप्रस्य: of a Brahmin
• विप्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• घातकाः: killers, slayers
• घातकाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घातक (प्रातिपदिक; हन्/घात-सम्बन्ध)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘all’ (ते इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• नराः: men
• नराः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; अपपद-सम्बन्धेन ‘ते सर्वे’ इत्यस्य अपोजिशन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kala (Time adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverbial accusative) ‘always’

• आरुहन्ति: they climb/ascend
• आरुहन्ति: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• पतन्ति: they fall
• पतन्ति: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

Speaker

Narratorial voice (Sūta implied by Māhātmya context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: a sacred precinct where impious figures attempt to ascend (symbolic ladders/steps) only to fall, while righteous pilgrims proceed steadily; a brāhmaṇa stands as dharma-witness.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Disrespecting dharma—especially violence toward a Brāhmaṇa—causes repeated downfall; sacred places intensify moral consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya within Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed here; it warns about ethical transgressions and their karmic results.