Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 93

Devanagari script

कुनखाः कुष्ठसंयुक्ता मूर्खा अपि विगर्हिताः । श्राद्धार्हाः सूचितास्तेन एतं मे संशयं वद

Transliteration

kunakhāḥ kuṣṭhasaṃyuktā mūrkhā api vigarhitāḥ | śrāddhārhāḥ sūcitāstena etaṃ me saṃśayaṃ vada

Translation

«(Certains) ont des ongles difformes, sont atteints de lèpre, sont sots et même blâmés ; et pourtant, lui les a désignés comme dignes du śrāddha. Dis-moi donc ce doute qui est le mien.»

Word by Word

• कुनखाः: having deformed/bad nails
• कुनखाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कु + नख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: कुत्सिताः नखाः येषां ते/कुनखाः (bad-nailed)

• कुष्ठसंयुक्ताः: afflicted with leprosy
• कुष्ठसंयुक्ताः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुष्ठ + संयुक्त (प्रातिपदिक); संयुक्त < सम्+युज् (धातु) + क्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समास: कुष्ठेन संयुक्ताः (afflicted with leprosy)

• मूर्खाः: foolish
• मूर्खाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक निपात (also/even)

• विगर्हिताः: censured
• विगर्हिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + गर्हित (प्रातिपदिक); गर्हित < गर्ह् (धातु) + क्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्तान्त विशेषण (reviled)

• श्राद्धार्हाः: worthy recipients for śrāddha
• श्राद्धार्हाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्राद्ध + अर्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समास: श्राद्धे अर्हाः (worthy for śrāddha)

• सूचिताः: have been indicated/mentioned
• सूचिताः: Karya-prakara (predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सूच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि

• तेन: by him/thereby
• तेन: Karana (Agent/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• एतम्: this
• एतम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध) एकवचन-रूप (enclitic); मम

• संशयम्: doubt
• संशयम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वद: tell (me)
• वद: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

The King (Rājan)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nāgara-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viśvāmitra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close-up dialogue: the king, troubled, asks for resolution; the sage’s face shows compassionate authority. Background shows ritual items for śrāddha—piṇḍa plates, water pot, kuśa—signaling the practical stakes.

Characters & Entities

• Śrāddha
• Bhartṛyajña (implied by 'tena')

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is subtle: outward markers and social blame do not always align with ritual rules established in a sacred tradition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site-name appears; it continues the tīrtha-based discussion within Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Mahātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It questions the criteria for being śrāddhārha, noting seemingly disqualified persons being accepted.