Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

अथ लब्ध्वा पुनः संज्ञां प्रलापानकरोद्बहून् । करुणं शोकसंतप्ता वाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणा

Transliteration

atha labdhvā punaḥ saṃjñāṃ pralāpānakarodbahūn | karuṇaṃ śokasaṃtaptā vāṣpaparyākulekṣaṇā

Translation

Puis, revenue à elle, elle poussa de nombreuses lamentations—pitoyables et déchirantes—tourmentée par le chagrin, les yeux voilés et tremblants de larmes.

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्बन्ध/अनन्तरार्थक) — 'then/now'

• labdhvā: having regained/obtained
• labdhvā: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √labh (लभ्) (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकाल — 'having obtained'

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — 'again'

• saṃjñām: consciousness, awareness
• saṃjñām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃjñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• pralāpān: lamentations, wailings
• pralāpān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pralāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• akarot: did, uttered
• akarot: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ) (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — 'he/she did/made'

• bahūn: many
• bahūn: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying 'pralāpān')

• karuṇam: piteously, sorrowfully
• karuṇam: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karuṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् — 'pitifully/with compassion' (modifying utterance)

• śoka-saṃtaptā: tormented by grief
• śoka-saṃtaptā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoka (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃtaptā (√tap तप्, क्त)
• Form: समास (तत्पुरुष; तृतीया/हेतु: 'śokena saṃtaptā'), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of the woman)

• vāṣpa-paryākula-īkṣaṇā: whose eyes were disturbed/blurred with tears
• vāṣpa-paryākula-īkṣaṇā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāṣpa (प्रातिपदिक) + paryākula (प्रातिपदिक) + īkṣaṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास — 'vāṣpena paryākulāni īkṣaṇāni yasyāḥ sā'; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing the Nāgī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The mother revives from fainting; with trembling, tear-clouded eyes she begins repeated, piteous lamentations over her son.

Characters & Entities

• Nāgī (serpent-woman)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It portrays the raw force of grief and attachment, setting the stage for seeking divine refuge when worldly bonds break.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is narrative groundwork within the Tīrthamāhātmya; the explicit sacred focus emerges as she proceeds toward Ananta’s presence (later verses).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is descriptive, preparing for the ensuing tīrtha-related episode.