Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

मार्कंडेय उवाच । मानसं वाचिकं चैव कायिकं च तृतीयकम् । त्रिविधं पातकं लोके नराणामिह जायते

Transliteration

mārkaṃḍeya uvāca | mānasaṃ vācikaṃ caiva kāyikaṃ ca tṛtīyakam | trividhaṃ pātakaṃ loke narāṇāmiha jāyate

Translation

Mārkaṇḍeya said: “In this world, sin arises for human beings in three forms—of the mind, of speech, and as the third, of the body.”

Word by Word

• मार्कण्डेयः: Mārkaṇḍeya
• मार्कण्डेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārkaṇḍeya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• मानसम्: mental
• मानसम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mānasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• वाचिकम्: verbal
• वाचिकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vācika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• कायिकम्: bodily/physical
• कायिकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāyika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तृतीयकम्: the third (kind)
• तृतीयकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tṛtīyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (the third)

• त्रिविधम्: threefold
• त्रिविधम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—त्रयः विधाः यस्य (threefold)

• पातकम्: sin/offence
• पातकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• नराणाम्: of men
• नराणाम्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• इह: here
• इह: Deśa (Place/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: here/in this context)

• जायते: arises/is produced
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jan (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rohitāśva

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mārkaṇḍeya teaching with three symbolic motifs: a lotus (mind), a conch or speech-scroll (speech), and a lamp or hand in mudrā (body/action), arranged near him as didactic emblems.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Rohitāśva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma evaluates purity at three levels—thought, word, and deed—so spiritual discipline must address all three.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it provides the ethical framework used in tīrtha-māhātmya teachings.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None yet; this verse classifies sin to prepare for corresponding remedies.