Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

त्वया तत्कल्पितं राजन्नैव दत्तं प्रमादतः । पराभूता द्विजास्ते च याचमाना मुहुर्मुहुः

Transliteration

tvayā tatkalpitaṃ rājannaiva dattaṃ pramādataḥ | parābhūtā dvijāste ca yācamānā muhurmuhuḥ

Translation

Pero tú, oh rey—aunque estaba dispuesto—no lo entregaste por negligencia; y aquellos brāhmaṇas fueron humillados, suplicando una y otra vez.

Word by Word

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्गे (masc. usage), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण (pronominal adjective), नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Nom./Acc.), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• कल्पितम्: arranged/appointed
• कल्पितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कॢप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Nom./Acc.), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम् (Masculine), सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negative particle)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्ययम् (emphatic particle)

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Nom./Acc.), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• प्रमादतः: through negligence
• प्रमादतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रमाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्ययम् (ablatival adverb), हेत्वर्थे (causal sense)

• पराभूताः: were humiliated/defeated
• पराभूताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पराभू (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्गम् (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• द्विजाः: Brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम् (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• ते: those
• ते: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्गम् (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• याचमानाः: begging/requesting
• याचमानाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याच् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्तः (present active participle), पुंलिङ्गम् (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• मुहुः: again and again
• मुहुः: Adhikarana (Adverbial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of time/frequency)

• मुहुः: repeatedly
• मुहुः: Adhikarana (Adverbial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति (reduplication for emphasis), कालवाचक-अव्ययम्

Speaker

Nārada

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: king (rājan / pārthiva addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king in court, gifts prepared but withheld; brāhmaṇas standing with begging bowls, faces downcast, repeatedly petitioning; courtiers avert their gaze—an atmosphere of moral failure.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Dvija (Brāhmaṇas)
• King (unnamed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Negligence in fulfilling promised gifts and humiliating the worthy is a grave breach of dharma that leads to karmic and political consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse remains within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra-māhātmya narrative setting, functioning as a moral exemplum tied to the sacred-place discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied: one must complete intended/arranged dāna and never force Brāhmaṇas to beg repeatedly; honoring them promptly is part of rāja-dharma.