Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 108

Devanagari script

एष यज्ञोपवीताढ्यो विशेषात्तपसि स्थितः । छलेन निहतः शक्र तेन त्वं पापसंयुतः

Transliteration

eṣa yajñopavītāḍhyo viśeṣāttapasi sthitaḥ | chalena nihataḥ śakra tena tvaṃ pāpasaṃyutaḥ

Translation

„Doch dieser war mit dem heiligen Faden (yajnopavīta) geschmückt und besonders in Askese gefestigt. Durch List wurde er getötet, o Śakra; darum bist du nun mit Sünde behaftet.“

Word by Word

• एषः: this (man)
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यज्ञोपवीताढ्यः: endowed with the sacred thread
• यज्ञोपवीताढ्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यज्ञोपवीत (प्रातिपदिक) + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (यज्ञोपवीतेन आढ्यः/युक्तः)

• विशेषात्: especially
• विशेषात्: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावार्थे तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb): ‘especially/particularly’

• तपसि: in austerity
• तपसि: Adhikarana (Location/State)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्थितः: situated/engaged
• स्थितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; एषः इति विशेष्य

• छलेन: by deceit
• छलेन: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निहतः: was slain
• निहतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+हन् (धातु) → निहत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे

• शक्र: O Śakra (Indra)
• शक्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• तेन: therefore/by that
• तेन: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीय-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पापसंयुतः: tainted with sin
• पापसंयुतः: Visheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सम्+युज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थः (पापेन संयुतः = associated with sin)

Speaker

Brahmā

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Indra (Śakra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lone ascetic with yajñopavīta and matted hair is shown slain through a trick; Indra stands troubled, vajra lowered, while Brahmā points to the moral fault—deceit against tapas.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Indra (Śakra)
• Yajñopavīta
• Tapas
• Chala

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sin is intensified when one harms the spiritually disciplined—especially through deception rather than open battle.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named site appears; the verse explains the cause that necessitates later tīrtha-based expiation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it identifies the transgression (chala + harming a sacred-threaded tapasvin) that requires purification.