Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

अथ तं वीक्ष्य संसिद्धं कुमन्त्रेणापि तस्करम् । ते विप्रा विस्मयाविष्टाः कृपाविष्टा विशेषतः

Transliteration

atha taṃ vīkṣya saṃsiddhaṃ kumantreṇāpi taskaram | te viprā vismayāviṣṭāḥ kṛpāviṣṭā viśeṣataḥ

Translation

Puis, voyant ce voleur pleinement accompli—even par un mantra fautif—les brāhmanes furent saisis d’étonnement et, plus encore, touchés de compassion.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequence/then)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• वीक्ष्य: having seen
• वीक्ष्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial to main action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वीक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having seen)

• संसिद्धम्: fully accomplished/empowered
• संसिद्धम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संसिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक; सम्+सिध्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘taskaram’)

• कुमन्त्रेण: by an evil spell
• कुमन्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे; तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थ (also/even)

• तस्करम्: the thief
• तस्करम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तस्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• विप्राः: Brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• विस्मयाविष्टाः: overcome with astonishment
• विस्मयाविष्टाः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मय + आविष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; आ+विश्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त); ‘विस्मयेन आविष्टाः’ इति तृतीया-तत्पुरुष

• कृपाविष्टाः: filled with compassion
• कृपाविष्टाः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृपा + आविष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; आ+विश्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त); ‘कृपया आविष्टाः’ (instrumental-tatpurusha)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriya-viseshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/विशेषणार्थ (especially)

Speaker

Unknown (Tīrthamāhātmya narrative voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa relating the Māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrim-inquirer/ṛṣi audience (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of brāhmaṇa-sages in a forest clearing behold a rugged robber who appears ‘accomplished’/transfigured; their faces show astonishment and compassion.

Characters & Entities

• vipra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual change can arise in unexpected ways; witnessing transformation should awaken compassion rather than condemnation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha appears in this verse; the tīrtha-māhātmya frame suggests the sacred setting supports such transformation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; it highlights the surprising efficacy of practice and the ethical response of compassion.