Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

एवं दत्त्वाथ तेषां स शापं राक्षससत्तमः । ततः प्राह च तं दूतं पुनरेव कृतां जलिः

Transliteration

evaṃ dattvātha teṣāṃ sa śāpaṃ rākṣasasattamaḥ | tataḥ prāha ca taṃ dūtaṃ punareva kṛtāṃ jaliḥ

Translation

Ainsi, après avoir proféré cette malédiction contre eux, le plus éminent des rākṣasas s’adressa de nouveau au messager, les mains jointes en signe de vénération.

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (एवम्) (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): एवम् (thus)

• dattvā: having given
• dattvā: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (दा) (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund): दत्त्वा = √दा, ‘having given’

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अथ) (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): अथ (then/now)

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्) (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), बहुवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्) (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• śāpam: a curse
• śāpam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāpa (शाप) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• rākṣasa-sattamaḥ: the best of demons
• rākṣasa-sattamaḥ: Karta (Subject apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rākṣasa (राक्षस) + sattama (सत्तम) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: राक्षसानां सत्तमः (best among demons); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ततः (thereafter)

• prāha: said
• prāha: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra- + √ah (अह्/ब्रू) (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction): च (and)

• tam: that (him)
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्) (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• dūtam: messenger
• dūtam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dūta (दूत) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• punar: again
• punar: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (पुनर्) (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): पुनः (again)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): एव (indeed)

• kṛtām: made/done
• kṛtām: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ) (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past participle): कृत; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘made/done’ (qualifying jaliṃ)

• jalim: añjali (folded-hands salutation)
• jalim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jali (जलि) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; ‘añjali’ sense (folded hands/salutation)

Speaker

Narrative voice (contextual; speaker not explicit in this verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: After pronouncing the curse, the rākṣasa-chief lowers his intensity, joins palms in añjali, and respectfully addresses the messenger; the atmosphere shifts from stormy to controlled solemnity.

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasa (rākṣasasattama)
• Dūta (messenger)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the powerful are bound by dharma’s moral gravity; humility and correction follow wrongdoing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is directly named in this verse; it serves the narrative transition within Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse notes the añjali (joined-hands) gesture as a sign of respect; no formal rite is prescribed.