Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

ततश्च विस्मयाविष्टाः पप्रच्छुस्ते क्षुधान्विताः । किमिदं किमिदं पापा विरुद्धं विहितं वपुः

Transliteration

tataśca vismayāviṣṭāḥ papracchuste kṣudhānvitāḥ | kimidaṃ kimidaṃ pāpā viruddhaṃ vihitaṃ vapuḥ

Translation

Alors, saisis d’émerveillement et tourmentés par la faim, ils interrogèrent : «Qu’est-ce donc, qu’est-ce donc, ô pécheurs—cette apparence si contraire à ce qui convient selon le dharma ?»

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/अनन्तरबोधक-अव्यय (adverb) — ‘then’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विस्मयाविष्टाः: astonished; seized with wonder
• विस्मयाविष्टाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक) + आविष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; आ+√विश् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘विस्मयेन आविष्टाः’ — ‘seized by astonishment’

• पप्रच्छुः: asked
• पप्रच्छुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद — ‘asked’

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — ‘they’

• क्षुधान्विताः: hungry
• क्षुधान्विताः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुधा (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; अनु+√इ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘क्षुधया अन्विताः’ — ‘accompanied by hunger’

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — interrogative ‘what’

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — ‘this’

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — repeated for emphasis

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — repeated for emphasis

• पापाः: O sinful ones
• पापाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन — vocative-like nominative used in address; ‘sinful ones’

• विरुद्धम्: contrary; improper
• विरुद्धम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरुद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वि+√रुध् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त — ‘contrary/opposed’

• विहितम्: made; arranged; ordained
• विहितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वि+√धा (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त — ‘ordained/arranged/made’

• वपुः: body; form
• वपुः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — ‘body/form’

Speaker

Brāhmaṇa/ascetic men (dvijottamāḥ) addressing the women

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The brāhmaṇas, gaunt and hungry, confront their ornamented wives; hands raised in questioning; faces show shock mixed with indignation; the women stand composed, suggesting a hidden explanation.

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇas/ascetics
• wives (addressed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes decorum aligned with one’s vow and station; outward display becomes suspect when it contradicts ascetic life.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it continues the moral episode within the tīrtha-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an ethical interrogation about conduct and legitimacy.