Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

एतद्गुणत्रयं प्रोक्तं प्रेतयोनौ नृपोत्तम । दोषानपि च ते वच्मि ताञ्च्छृणुष्व समाहितः

Transliteration

etadguṇatrayaṃ proktaṃ pretayonau nṛpottama | doṣānapi ca te vacmi tāñcchṛṇuṣva samāhitaḥ

Translation

O best of kings, these three qualities have been stated regarding the preta-state. Now I shall also tell you its defects—listen with a collected mind.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally (इदम्-समूह)

• गुणत्रयम्: the triad of qualities
• गुणत्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्रयाणां गुणानाम्)

• प्रोक्तम्: has been stated
• प्रोक्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘said/declared’

• प्रेतयोनौ: in the state/womb of a preta
• प्रेतयोनौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत + योनि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रेतानां योनि)

• नृपोत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (उत्तमो नृपः)

• दोषान्: faults
• दोषान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); ‘also/even’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; enclitic pronoun ‘of/for you’

• वच्मि: I tell
• वच्मि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तान्: those (faults)
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (Imperative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• समाहितः: attentive
• समाहितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + धा (धातु) → समाहित (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) used adjectivally; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘collected/attentive’

Speaker

Māṃsāda

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage addressing a king in a forest-edge setting, beginning a grave exposition on the preta-condition; the atmosphere is didactic and somber, with subtle hints of unseen beings listening.

Characters & Entities

• Māṃsāda
• rājā (king)
• preta-yoni

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True understanding weighs both merits and defects; spiritual discernment requires steady attention (samādhāna/samāhita-citta).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it is part of a tīrtha-themed chapter but functions as doctrinal transition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the instruction is to listen attentively to dharmic teaching.