Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

मम गात्रात्सुदुर्गंधः समुद्गच्छति सर्वतः । भाराक्रांतानि गात्राणि सर्वाण्येवाचलानि च

Transliteration

mama gātrātsudurgaṃdhaḥ samudgacchati sarvataḥ | bhārākrāṃtāni gātrāṇi sarvāṇyevācalāni ca

Translation

De mi cuerpo se eleva por doquier un hedor repugnante. Mis miembros se sienten oprimidos por un peso enorme, y todos han quedado como inmóviles.

Word by Word

• मम: of me / my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• गात्रात्: from (my) body/limb
• गात्रात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• सु-दुर्गन्धः: a very foul smell
• सु-दुर्गन्धः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दुर्गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय-समास (intensifying: ‘very foul-smell’)

• समुद्गच्छति: arises / comes forth
• समुद्गच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + सम्+उद् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• सर्वतः: from all sides / everywhere
• सर्वतः: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण-अर्थे)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• भार-आक्रान्तानि: overwhelmed by burden
• भार-आक्रान्तानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भार (प्रातिपदिक) + आक्रान्त (कृदन्त; आ+क्रम् धातोः क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) ‘overpowered’; तत्पुरुष-समास (by burden)

• गात्राणि: limbs / body-parts
• गात्राणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• एव: indeed / just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle), अवधारण (emphasis)

• अचलानि: immovable / unable to move
• अचलानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction), समुच्चय (copulative)

Speaker

The king (rājā/pārthiva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tormented king sits in a dim palace chamber, sweating and motionless, attendants recoiling; a visible dark haze suggests stench and the ‘weight’ of sin.

Characters & Entities

• brahmahatyā (implied)
• Vasiṣṭha (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pāpa is not merely abstract; it can manifest as tangible suffering, urging the sinner toward repentance and purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse describes the distress that prompts seeking prāyaścitta.