Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

तत्रासील्लुब्धकः कश्चिज्जातिमात्रान्न कर्मतः । व्यसेनानाभिभूतात्मा परवित्तापहारकः

Transliteration

tatrāsīllubdhakaḥ kaścijjātimātrānna karmataḥ | vyasenānābhibhūtātmā paravittāpahārakaḥ

Translation

Dort lebte ein gewisser Jäger—edel nur der Geburt nach, nicht dem Verhalten nach—dessen Geist von Lastern überwältigt war und der vom Raub fremden Besitzes lebte.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), देशवाचक

• आसीत्: there was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• लुब्धकः: a hunter
• लुब्धकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लुब्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कश्चित्: some (one)
• कश्चित्: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक सर्वनाम

• जातिमात्रात्: only by birth (i.e., merely by caste/birth)
• जातिमात्रात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाति (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जातेः मात्रम्)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• कर्मतः: by conduct; in terms of deeds
• कर्मतः: Hetu (Cause/Standard/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb), ‘कर्मतः’ = कर्मणः दृष्ट्या

• व्यसेन: by vice; by addiction
• व्यसेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• अनाभिभूतात्मा: whose mind was not overcome (i.e., uncontrolled/undisciplined)
• अनाभिभूतात्मा: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्- (नञ्) + अभिभूत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य आत्मा अनाभिभूतः)

• परवित्तापहारकः: a stealer of others’ wealth
• परवित्तापहारकः: Karta (Appositional predicate/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + वित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अपहारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (परस्य वित्तस्य अपहारकः)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya; traditionally Sūta relating the Māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Naimiṣāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: assembled listeners (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A morally fallen hunter in the sacred forest—restless eyes, furtive posture—set against serene sages and the calm of Naimiṣa, emphasizing contrast between place and person.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Birth alone does not make one righteous; dharma is measured by conduct, and vice-driven actions lead to moral downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sets the narrative within a sacred locale in the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya; the specific shrine is clarified in the subsequent verses describing Śiva’s temple and night vigil.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None here; the verse introduces the character whose life contrasts with the later Śivarātri observance.