Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

सोऽपि संताड्यमानस्तु प्रहारैर्जर्जरीकृतः । वेदोच्चारं ततश्चक्रे दर्शयित्वोपवीतकम्

Transliteration

so'pi saṃtāḍyamānastu prahārairjarjarīkṛtaḥ | vedoccāraṃ tataścakre darśayitvopavītakam

Translation

Bien qu’il fût frappé et meurtri par les coups, il se mit alors à réciter le Veda, en montrant son cordon sacré (upavīta).

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि—समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थ (also/even)

• संताड्यमानः: being beaten
• संताड्यमानः: Karta (Subject-state/कर्तृभाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-ताडय् (धातु, णिजन्त) → संताड्यमान (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे (passive present participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन (being beaten)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेष (but/indeed)

• प्रहारैः: by blows
• प्रहारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• जर्जरीकृतः: made mangled/shattered
• जर्जरीकृतः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जर्जरी (प्रातिपदिक) + कृ (धातु) → जर्जरीकृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (made shattered)

• वेदोच्चारम्: recitation of the Veda
• वेदोच्चारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + उच्चार (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (वेदस्य उच्चारः); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तर्ये (then)

• चक्रे: did/performed
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• दर्शयित्वा: having shown
• दर्शयित्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दर्शय् (णिजन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभावः (having shown)

• उपवीतकम्: the sacred thread
• उपवीतकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवीतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrative voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇas (dvijāḥ)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bruised and battered, the man lifts his sacred thread into view and begins Vedic recitation; attackers pause mid-strike, startled by his composure and sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• upavīta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True identity in dharma is revealed by conduct and sacred knowledge; outward labels can be overturned by inner saṃskāra and Vedic discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter but does not name the tīrtha in this excerpt.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Veda recitation (vedoccāra) and the marker of upavīta are referenced as signs of brāhmaṇa saṃskāra, though no specific rite is instructed.