Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

कस्यचित्त्वथ कालस्य भगवान्पाकशासनः । ब्रह्महत्यासमोपेतो निस्तेजाः समपद्यत

Transliteration

kasyacittvatha kālasya bhagavānpākaśāsanaḥ | brahmahatyāsamopeto nistejāḥ samapadyata

Translation

Then, at a certain time, the lord Pākaśāsana (Indra) was afflicted with the sin of brahma-slaughter (brahmahatyā), and his splendor waned away.

Word by Word

• कस्यचित्: of some (one)
• कस्यचित्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रयोग (pronominal)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक (contrast/emphasis)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• कालस्य: of time
• कालस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पाकशासनः: Punisher of Pāka (Indra)
• पाकशासनः: Karta (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाक-शासन (प्रातिपदिक: पाक + शासन)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पाकस्य शासनः = ‘Punisher of Pāka’)

• ब्रह्महत्या: Brahmin-slaying (sin)
• ब्रह्महत्या: Hetu/State (cause/condition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म-हत्या (प्रातिपदिक: ब्रह्मन् + हत्या)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः हत्या)

• समोपेतः: afflicted/possessed (by)
• समोपेतः: Karta (predicate adjective of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उप-इ (धातु) → समोपेत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘युक्त/समन्वित’

• निस्तेजाः: devoid of radiance
• निस्तेजाः: Karta (predicate adjective of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः-तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक: निः + तेजस्)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक-नञ्/निः-समासार्थ (devoid of)

• समपद्यत: became/attained
• समपद्यत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√पद् (पद्यते) (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Purāṇic narrative transition into Indra’s expiation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara (destination implied)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra, once radiant, appears dimmed and burdened, his crown and vajra subdued; the atmosphere suggests moral weight and impending pilgrimage toward an underworld Śiva-liṅga.

Characters & Entities

• Pākaśāsana (Indra)
• Brahmahatyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even great gods are bound by dharma: sin diminishes tejas, and purification requires rightful expiation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative is moving toward the Hāṭakeśvara tīrtha/liṅga as the locus of purification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not yet; the verse introduces the condition (brahmahatyā and loss of tejas) that will be cured by darśana/worship.