Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

चिपिटाक्षास्तथा चान्ये दीर्घग्रीवास्तथा परे । कृष्णांगाः स्फुटितैः पादैर्नखैर्दीर्घैः समुत्थितैः

Transliteration

cipiṭākṣāstathā cānye dīrghagrīvāstathā pare | kṛṣṇāṃgāḥ sphuṭitaiḥ pādairnakhairdīrghaiḥ samutthitaiḥ

Translation

D’autres avaient les yeux enfoncés; d’autres, le cou long. Leurs corps étaient sombres, leurs pieds crevassés, et de longues griffes se dressaient nettement.

Word by Word

• cipiṭākṣāḥ: flat-eyed / with flattened eyes
• cipiṭākṣāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cipiṭa + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (चिपिटे अक्षिणी/अक्षे येषाम्)

• tathā: likewise/also
• tathā: Sambandha (Connective/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम् (also/likewise)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connective/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपातः (and)

• anye: others
• anye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-शब्दः (others)

• dīrghagrīvāḥ: long-necked
• dīrghagrīvāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīrgha + grīvā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (दीर्घा ग्रीवा)

• tathā: likewise/also
• tathā: Sambandha (Connective/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम् (also/likewise)

• pare: others
• pare: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेष्यरूपेण (others/further ones)

• kṛṣṇāṃgāḥ: black-limbed
• kṛṣṇāṃgāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (कृष्णानि अङ्गानि)

• sphuṭitaiḥ: with cracked
• sphuṭitaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sphuṭita (कृदन्त; √sphuṭ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम् (split/cracked)

• pādaiḥ: feet
• pādaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• nakhaiḥ: nails/claws
• nakhaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• dīrghaiḥ: long
• dīrghaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīrgha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying nakhaiḥ)

• samutthitaiḥ: protruding/raised
• samutthitaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samutthita (कृदन्त; सम्+उत्+√sthā (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम् (risen/protruding)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rūpatīrtha (foreshadowed)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: More afflicted figures: sunken eyes, long necks, dark bodies, cracked feet, long protruding nails—standing at the edge of sacred waters, hesitant yet hopeful.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Affliction is portrayed vividly to highlight the contrast—and thus the glory—of tīrtha-based purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This description is part of the Rūpatīrtha episode where bathing removes deformity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, snāna at the sacred water-body is the means of relief, though not stated in this verse.