Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

छिन्नहस्तोऽपि शंखस्तु तपश्चक्रे सुदारुणम् । विशेषेण समासाद्य स्वाश्रमे भूय एव तु

Transliteration

chinnahasto'pi śaṃkhastu tapaścakre sudāruṇam | viśeṣeṇa samāsādya svāśrame bhūya eva tu

Translation

Bien que la main lui eût été tranchée, Śaṅkha accomplit une pénitence d’une austérité extrême. Revenu à son propre ermitage, il la poursuivit avec une ferveur particulière.

Word by Word

• छिन्न-हस्तः: one whose hand is cut off
• छिन्न-हस्तः: Karta-visheshana (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिद् (धातु) → छिन्न (कृदन्त) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (‘छिन्नः हस्तः यस्य सः’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; शंखः इति विशेषणम्

• अपि: even though
• अपि: Sambandha (Concessive/अपवाद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अपवाद/समुच्चय) = even though

• शंखः: Śaṅkha
• शंखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• तु: but; however
• तु: Sambandha (Contrast/विरोध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विरोध/विशेषार्थ particle)

• तपः: austerity; penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (accusative singular)

• चक्रे: he performed
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• सु-दारुणम्: very severe
• सु-दारुणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास/उपपदपूर्वक विशेषण (‘अत्यन्तं दारुणम्’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; तपः इति विशेषणम्

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriya-visheshana (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया एकवचन-रूपेण क्रियाविशेषणप्रयोगः (instrumental used adverbially) = especially

• समासाद्य: having reached
• समासाद्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) = having reached/approached

• स्व-आश्रमे: in his own hermitage
• स्व-आश्रमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘स्वस्य आश्रमः’), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन

• भूयः: again; further
• भूयः: Kriya-visheshana (Repetition/पुनरावृत्ति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्/भूयः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (पुनरावृत्तिवाचक adverb) = again; further

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Contrast/विरोध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विरोध/विशेषार्थ)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śaṅkha, with a severed hand, sits in severe austerity—matted hair, emaciated body, focused gaze—within his hermitage; the atmosphere is intense yet serene.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True atonement is sustained transformation—tapas and perseverance can purify even after severe consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named here; the hermitage setting supports the tīrtha-māhātmya theme that sacred environments foster purification through tapas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Austerity (tapas) is highlighted as the practical means of purification, though no specific vow is detailed.