Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

संसारविषवृक्षस्य कुकर्मकुसुमस्य च । नरकार्तिफलस्योक्ता मूलमेषा नितंबिनी

Transliteration

saṃsāraviṣavṛkṣasya kukarmakusumasya ca | narakārtiphalasyoktā mūlameṣā nitaṃbinī

Translation

Cette femme aux hanches envoûtantes est dite la racine de l’arbre vénéneux du saṃsāra : ses fleurs sont les mauvaises actions, et son fruit, la torture de l’enfer.

Word by Word

• saṃsāra-viṣa-vṛkṣasya: of the poisonous tree of worldly existence
• saṃsāra-viṣa-vṛkṣasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃsāra (प्रातिपदिक) + viṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचनम् (Genitive 6th), पुंलिङ्गम् (Masculine); बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी) ‘संसारः एव विषम्’ इति विशेषणपूर्वकः ‘विषवृक्षः’

• kukarma-kusumasya: of the flower of evil deeds
• kukarma-kusumasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kukarma (प्रातिपदिक) + kusuma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचनम् (Genitive 6th), नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (Neuter); तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी) ‘कुकर्मणः कुसुमम्’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• naraka-ārti-phalasya: of the fruit that is the torment of hell
• naraka-ārti-phalasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक) + ārti (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचनम् (Genitive 6th), नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (Neuter); तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी) ‘नरकस्य आर्तिः’ इति ‘नरकार्तिः’, तस्य फलम्

• uktā: is said/called
• uktā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √vac (धातु) → ukta (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Nominative 1st), स्त्रीलिङ्गम् (Feminine); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle)

• mūlam: the root
• mūlam: Karma (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Nominative 1st) वा द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Accusative 2nd), नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (Neuter); अत्र विधेय-नाम (predicate nominative)

• eṣā: this (woman)
• eṣā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Nominative 1st), स्त्रीलिङ्गम् (Feminine); सर्वनाम

• nitaṃbinī: a woman (lit. one with buttocks/hips)
• nitaṃbinī: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nitaṃbinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Nominative 1st), स्त्रीलिङ्गम् (Feminine)

Speaker

Unspecified (Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrator voice; likely a didactic passage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A विशाल poisonous tree labeled ‘Saṃsāra’: roots entwined around a seductive figure; blossoms are dark ‘kukarma’ flowers; fruits are fiery ‘naraka’ orbs; a pilgrim/ascetic recoils and turns toward a shrine/river for refuge.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Unchecked sensual fascination is portrayed as a root-cause that leads to bad actions and painful karmic results; cultivate restraint and discernment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha appears in this verse; it supports the broader tīrtha discourse by emphasizing inner discipline.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the focus is ethical causality (karma → suffering) rather than ritual.