Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

स्त्रीरत्नमश्वरत्नं वा न किंचित्कस्यचिद्गृहे । ते दृष्ट्वा मोक्षयंति स्म दुर्निवार्या मदोत्कटाः

Transliteration

strīratnamaśvaratnaṃ vā na kiṃcitkasyacidgṛhe | te dṛṣṭvā mokṣayaṃti sma durnivāryā madotkaṭāḥ

Translation

Dans la demeure de quiconque il ne resta plus aucun joyau—ni joyau de femme, ni cheval pareil à un joyau—rien du tout ; car ces êtres indomptables, ivres d’orgueil, saisissaient tout ce qu’ils voyaient et l’emportaient.

Word by Word

• स्त्रीरत्नम्: a precious woman; jewel among women
• स्त्रीरत्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री-रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः = स्त्रियाः रत्नम्

• अश्वरत्नम्: a precious horse; horse-jewel
• अश्वरत्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व-रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः = अश्वस्य रत्नम्

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विकल्पार्थक-निपात) = disjunctive particle 'or'

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध) = negation particle

• किञ्चित्: anything
• किञ्चित्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किञ्चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक = 'anything'

• कस्यचित्: of anyone
• कस्यचित्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक = 'of anyone'

• गृहे: in (his) house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

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

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive) = having seen

• मोक्षयन्ति: they let loose; they release
• मोक्षयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु; causative मोचय/मोक्षय)
• Form: लट् (परस्मैपद) = Present; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative) = 'cause to be released/let go'

• स्म: (indeed; used with past narration)
• स्म: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (भूतार्थे/अनुवादे निपात) = particle indicating past/habitual narration

• दुर्निवार्याः: hard to restrain
• दुर्निवार्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्-निवार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् of 'ते'; समासः = दुष्करेण निवार्याः (upapada tatpuruṣa)

• मदोत्कटाः: fierce with pride/intoxication
• मदोत्कटाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद-उत्कट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् of 'ते'; समासः = मदेन उत्कटाः

Speaker

Nārada (continuing report to Skanda/devas; speaker not re-marked in this single verse)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Skanda and devas (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grim montage: daityas, wild with pride, raid homes; no household retains precious possessions—women’s jewels and prized horses are seized; citizens appear fearful and dispossessed.

Characters & Entities

• Dānavas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma expresses itself as theft, exploitation, and unrestrained power; such acts invite corrective divine force and re-establishment of righteous rule.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is directly mentioned; the verse describes social/cosmic disorder within the wider Māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive rather than prescriptive.