Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

व्याघ्रसाम जपेद्यस्तु तत्र श्रद्धासमन्वितः । तस्य व्याघ्रादयो व्याला जायंते सौम्यचेतसः

Transliteration

vyāghrasāma japedyastu tatra śraddhāsamanvitaḥ | tasya vyāghrādayo vyālā jāyaṃte saumyacetasaḥ

Translation

Wer jedoch, von Glauben erfüllt, dort das Vyāghra-sāman rezitiert, dem werden Tiger und andere wilde Bestien sanftmütig und milden Sinnes.

Word by Word

• vyāghra-sāma: the Vyāghra-sāman (hymn)
• vyāghra-sāma: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāghra (प्रातिपदिक) + sāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—व्याघ्रसम्बन्धि साम (सामवेदमन्त्र/साम)

• japet: should recite
• japet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jap (जप्)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• śraddhā-samanvitaḥ: endowed with faith
• śraddhā-samanvitaḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śraddhā (प्रातिपदिक) + samanvita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-आधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—श्रद्धया समन्वितः

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• vyāghra-ādayaḥ: tigers and the like
• vyāghra-ādayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāghra (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—व्याघ्रः आदिः येषां ते (tigers etc.)

• vyālāḥ: wild beasts/predators
• vyālāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• jāyante: become; turn into
• jāyante: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jan (जन्)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• saumya-cetasaḥ: gentle-minded
• saumya-cetasaḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saumya (प्रातिपदिक) + cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—सौम्यं चेतः येषां ते (having gentle minds)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa tīrtha-māhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim chants calmly in a forest path; a tiger and other beasts appear but sit or lower their gaze peacefully; the forest seems ordered and quiet around the chanter.

Characters & Entities

• Vyāghra-sāman
• Vyāghra (tiger)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred sound practiced with faith is said to harmonize hostile forces and restore auspiciousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A tīrtha in the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya; the benefit is promised specifically when done ‘there’ (tatra).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa of the Vyāghra-sāman to pacify dangerous animals such as tigers.