Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

श्राद्धं कृत्वा गयाशीर्षे लक्ष्मणेन विरुद्ध्य च । पुनः संप्रस्थितोऽरण्यं क्रोधाविष्टश्च तं प्रति

Transliteration

śrāddhaṃ kṛtvā gayāśīrṣe lakṣmaṇena viruddhya ca | punaḥ saṃprasthito'raṇyaṃ krodhāviṣṭaśca taṃ prati

Translation

Having performed the śrāddha rites at Gayāśīrṣa, and then falling into conflict with Lakṣmaṇa, he again departed for the forest, overcome with anger toward him.

Word by Word

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकाल (having done)

• गयाशीर्षे: at Gayāśīrṣa (the head/peak of Gayā)
• गयाशीर्षे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक) + शीर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: गयायाः शीर्षम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन

• लक्ष्मणेन: with Lakṣmaṇa
• लक्ष्मणेन: Sahakarana (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विरुद्ध्य: having quarreled/opposed
• विरुद्ध्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + रुध् (धातु) → विरुद्ध्य (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-रूप)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); 'विरोधं कृत्वा/विरुद्ध्वा' अर्थे

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

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyavisheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्तिवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• संप्रस्थितः: set out, departed
• संप्रस्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + स्था (धातु) → संप्रस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past active participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अरण्यम्: to the forest
• अरण्यम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म-गति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गत्यर्थे कर्म (destination as object)

• क्रोधाविष्टः: possessed by anger
• क्रोधाविष्टः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक) + आविष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष: क्रोधेन आविष्टः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (सः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रति: towards, against
• प्रति: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/संबन्धबोधक (preposition-like indeclinable)

Speaker

Ṛṣis (the sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gayāśīrṣa

Type: peak

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sūta

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A śrāddha scene at Gayāśīrṣa—Rāma offering piṇḍa/tarpaṇa near a sacred spot—followed by a tense moment of disagreement with Lakṣmaṇa; the mood shifts from ritual solemnity to heated conflict, then departure into forest.

Characters & Entities

• Gayāśīrṣa
• Śrāddha
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even after performing dharmic rites like śrāddha, one must guard against anger—inner discipline is integral to pilgrimage merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gayāśīrṣa is referenced as a powerful śrāddha location, alongside the ongoing kṣetra under discussion in Nāgara Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śrāddha (ancestral rite) at Gayāśīrṣa is explicitly mentioned.