Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

पंगुतामर्हति प्रायः पापात्मा द्विजदूषकः । बलेन महता युक्तो जरामरणवर्जितः

Transliteration

paṃgutāmarhati prāyaḥ pāpātmā dvijadūṣakaḥ | balena mahatā yukto jarāmaraṇavarjitaḥ

Translation

« Ce pécheur – profanateur des deux-fois-nés – mérite vraiment d'être boiteux. Doté d'une force immense, il est exempt de vieillesse et de mort. »

Word by Word

• पङ्गुताम्: lameness
• पङ्गुताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पङ्गुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Feminine accusative singular

• अर्हति: deserves
• अर्हति: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; Present indicative 3sg

• प्रायः: generally
• प्रायः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रायस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय; adverb (generally/mostly)

• पापात्मा: sinful-souled one
• पापात्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Masc nom sg; कर्मधारयः (पापः आत्मा)

• द्विजदूषकः: defiler of Brahmins
• द्विजदूषकः: Apposition (Samānādhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + दूषक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Masc nom sg; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानां दूषकः)

• बलेन: with strength
• बलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• महता: great
• महता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; Neuter instrumental singular; बलं विशेषयति

• युक्तः: endowed (with)
• युक्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; PPP used adjectivally (endowed)

• जरामरणवर्जितः: free from old age and death
• जरामरणवर्जितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जरा (प्रातिपदिक) + मरण (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्जित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Masc nom sg; द्वन्द्वपूर्वपद-तत्पुरुषः (जरया च मरणेन च वर्जितः = free from old age and death)

Speaker

Sāṃkṛti (contextual continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A formidable, muscular sinner stands with a proud chest and weapon, yet his legs are impaired/immobile; nearby, sages or brāhmaṇas appear distressed, indicating dvija-dūṣaṇa; the cosmic backdrop hints at tri-loka peril.

Characters & Entities

• Daitya (Vṛka, implied)
• Dvijas (Brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Harming the righteous—especially the custodians of sacred learning—marks one as adharmic, and such power must be checked for the world’s welfare.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse; it supports the chapter’s moral-cosmic narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse frames ethical judgment and cosmic danger.