Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 180

Devanagari script

दग्धः स दहते भूयो हतमेवनिहंति च । सम्यग्ज्ञानपरित्यक्तो यः पापे पापमाचरेत्

Transliteration

dagdhaḥ sa dahate bhūyo hatamevanihaṃti ca | samyagjñānaparityakto yaḥ pāpe pāpamācaret

Translation

Ce qui a été brûlé brûle encore ; ce qui a été tué tue encore. Ayant renoncé au juste discernement, celui qui répond au péché par le péché ne fait qu’accroître la ruine.

Word by Word

• दग्धः: burnt
• दग्धः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दह् (धातु) → दग्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (burnt)

• सः: he/that
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• दहते: burns
• दहते: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• भूयः: again, more
• भूयः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (again/more)

• हतम्: the slain (thing)
• हतम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हन् (धातु) → हत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (that which is killed)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Emphasis (Avadhāraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात

• निहन्ति: kills, strikes down
• निहन्ति: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Conjunction
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (properly/rightly)

• ज्ञानपरित्यक्तः: having abandoned right knowledge
• ज्ञानपरित्यक्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of यः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान + परित्यक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण; परित्यक्त = परि+त्यज् (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (one who has abandoned knowledge)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject of subordinate clause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• पापे: in/against sin (in the matter of sin)
• पापे: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative); एकवचन

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• आचरेत्: should practice/commit
• आचरेत्: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Guru

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Disciple/pilgrim

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Allegorical tableau: a small flame becomes a spreading fire when fed; beside it, two figures locked in escalating retaliation, while a third (sage) raises a hand of restraint symbolizing samyag-jñāna.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wrongdoing breeds further wrongdoing; without right understanding, retaliation becomes a cycle of repeated harm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse warns against ethical relapse and urges samyag-jñāna (right discernment).