Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

किं करोमि दया जाता ममैनं प्रति हे सुराः । तस्मान्नाहं हनिष्यामि दानवं दीनजल्पकम्

Transliteration

kiṃ karomi dayā jātā mamainaṃ prati he surāḥ | tasmānnāhaṃ haniṣyāmi dānavaṃ dīnajalpakam

Translation

¿Qué he de hacer? Oh dioses, en mí ha nacido compasión hacia él. Por eso no mataré a este Dānava que habla con tan mísera voz.

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Interrogative object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• करोमि: do (shall I do)
• करोमि: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); उत्तमपुरुष (1st person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दया: compassion
• दया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• जाता: has arisen
• जाता: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (जात)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; ‘दया’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• मम: of me, in me
• मम: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन

• एनम्: this one, him
• एनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद्/एनद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• प्रति: towards, regarding
• प्रति: Sambandha (Relational/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: अव्यय; उपपद-सम्बन्धे (towards/with regard to)

• हे: O
• हे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हे (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• सुराः: gods
• सुराः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन/प्रथमा (Vocative/Nominative); बहुवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; हेत्वर्थे/तस्मादर्थे (therefore)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• हनिष्यामि: will kill
• हनिष्यामि: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future); उत्तमपुरुष (1st person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दानवम्: the demon
• दानवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• दीनजल्पकम्: one who speaks pitifully
• दीनजल्पकम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन + जल्पक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; कर्मधारय (दीनः जल्पकः)

Speaker

Devī (Sureśvarī) addressing the gods

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devī raises a calming hand (abhaya/varada-like gesture), eyes softened; devas look alarmed; the unseen dānava is implied as a trembling supplicant below, emphasizing the contrast between fear and mercy.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Surāḥ (gods)
• Dānava (Bali)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When an adversary becomes humble and seeks refuge, compassion can override wrath; dharma includes mercy guided by discernment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not explicit in this verse; it supports the broader tīrtha-māhātmya by portraying the Goddess’s dharmic qualities.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse concerns ethical decision (not killing) motivated by compassion.