Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

उक्ता प्रत्युत्तरं दद्यान्नारी या क्रोधत त्परा । सरमा जायते ग्रामे शृगाली निर्जने वने

Transliteration

uktā pratyuttaraṃ dadyānnārī yā krodhata tparā | saramā jāyate grāme śṛgālī nirjane vane

Translation

A woman who, when instructed, answers back in anger is said to be born as a dog in a village, or as a jackal in a lonely forest.

Word by Word

• उक्ता: when addressed / spoken to
• उक्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि-क्त (past passive participle: “having been spoken to/when addressed”)

• प्रत्युत्तरम्: a retort / reply
• प्रत्युत्तरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति (उपसर्ग) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (praty-uttara = “counter-answer”)

• दद्यात्: should give / utter
• दद्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (should give/utter)

• नारी: woman
• नारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (fem. nominative singular)

• या: who
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक-सर्वनाम (relative: “who”)

• क्रोधतः: from anger
• क्रोधतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (ablative of cause: “from/through anger”)

• तत्परा: intent on that / devoted to (anger)
• तत्परा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक) + टाप् (स्त्रीप्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (tat-parā = “intent on that”, here: intent on anger/retorting)

• सरमा: a female dog (Saramā)
• सरमा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (fem. nominative singular)

• जायते: is born
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (is born/becomes)

• ग्रामे: in a village
• ग्रामे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masc. locative singular)

• शृगाली: a female jackal
• शृगाली: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शृगालिन्/शृगाल (प्रातिपदिक) + ङीप् (स्त्रीप्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (fem. nominative singular)

• निर्जने: deserted
• निर्जने: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग) + जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; निर्जन-तत्पुरुष (locative singular; qualifying वने)

• वने: in a forest
• वने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter locative singular)

Speaker

Unspecified (Dharmāraṇya narrative voice; didactic instruction in context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moral tableau: a woman answers back in anger to an elder’s instruction; the next panel shows symbolic rebirth as a dog in a village street and as a jackal in a lonely forest.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Anger and disrespectful speech are condemned; restraint in response is presented as essential to dharmic living.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned; the verse uses karmic imagery to reinforce ethical discipline.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it is a behavioral warning about angry retorts and their negative karmic consequences.