Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

वज्रपातोपमं वाक्यं तस्याः श्रुत्वा सखी च सा । रुरोद कण्ठमाश्लिष्य स्नेहव्याकुलितेन्द्रिया

Transliteration

vajrapātopamaṃ vākyaṃ tasyāḥ śrutvā sakhī ca sā | ruroda kaṇṭhamāśliṣya snehavyākulitendriyā

Translation

Entendant ces paroles, pareilles à la chute de la foudre, l’amie l’enlaça au cou et pleura, les sens bouleversés par la tendresse.

Word by Word

• वज्रपात-उपमम्: like a thunderbolt-strike
• वज्रपात-उपमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्रपात (प्रातिपदिक) + उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Accusative, Singular; qualifying ‘vākyaṃ’)

• वाक्यम्: statement, words
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Source/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Genitive, Singular)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): ‘having heard’

• सखी: the (female) friend
• सखी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• रुरोद: wept
• रुरोद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रुद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (Perfect, 3rd person, Singular)

• कण्ठम्: neck, throat
• कण्ठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• आश्लिष्य: having embraced
• आश्लिष्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + √श्लिष् (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यबन्त/ल्यपन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having embraced/clasped’

• स्नेह-व्याकुलित-इन्द्रिया: with senses agitated by affection
• स्नेह-व्याकुलित-इन्द्रिया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक) + व्याकुलित (कृदन्त; वि + आ + √कुल्/√कुल्? (धातु) + क्त) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-समास विशेषण (Feminine, Nominative, Singular; ‘whose senses are agitated by affection’)

Speaker

Narrator (third-person)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The friend, struck by Ratnavatī’s words like a thunderbolt, clasps her around the neck; both weep, bodies leaning together, hair ornaments slightly disheveled from sudden movement.

Characters & Entities

• sakhī (friend)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True affection expresses itself as compassion and shared grief; bonds of love are acknowledged even within dharmic duties.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it functions as narrative texture within a broader tīrtha-focused chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes an emotional response within the story.