Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्य वज्रपातोपमं हरिः । बाष्पपूर्णेक्षणो दीनस्ततः प्रोवाच गद्गदम्

Transliteration

tacchrutvā vacanaṃ tasya vajrapātopamaṃ hariḥ | bāṣpapūrṇekṣaṇo dīnastataḥ provāca gadgadam

Translation

À l’écoute de ses paroles—pareilles à la chute de la foudre—Hari, accablé, les yeux pleins de larmes, prit alors la parole d’une voix étranglée.

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund): having heard

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तस्य: of him/of that (person)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वज्रपातोपमम्: like a thunderbolt-strike
• वज्रपातोपमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्रपात + उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वज्रपातस्य उपमम् = like a thunderbolt-strike)

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बाष्पपूर्णेक्षणः: with eyes full of tears
• बाष्पपूर्णेक्षणः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाष्पपूर्ण + ईक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (बाष्पैः पूर्णे ईक्षणे यस्य = whose eyes are full of tears)

• दीनः: distressed
• दीनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तर/हेतुवाचक (then/thereupon)

• प्रोवाच: spoke/said
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गद्गदम्: falteringly/chokingly
• गद्गदम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गद्गद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभूत-नपुंसक-रूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative: in a faltering/choked voice)

Speaker

Narrator (describing Hari’s reaction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hari is struck emotionally by the devotee’s words; his eyes brim with tears, posture softened, and he speaks with a trembling voice—an intimate divine-human moment.

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• vajrapāta (thunderbolt)
• bāṣpa (tears)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The shock of moral realization can break pride and open the heart to humility, which prepares one for true purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not indicated in this verse; it is part of a larger tīrtha-māhātmya narrative arc.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces the forthcoming counsel regarding expiation.