Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

एवं ते निश्चयं कृत्वा निष्क्रम्य वरुणालयात् । रात्रौ सदैव निघ्नंति जनान्धर्मपरायणान्

Transliteration

evaṃ te niścayaṃ kṛtvā niṣkramya varuṇālayāt | rātrau sadaiva nighnaṃti janāndharmaparāyaṇān

Translation

Ayant ainsi pris leur résolution, ils sortirent de la demeure de Varuṇa et, la nuit, frappèrent continuellement les gens dévoués au Dharma.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/रीति-वाचक (adverb of manner)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुं/स्त्री/नपुं, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (context-dependent)

• निश्चयम्: a decision, resolve
• निश्चयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made/done
• कृत्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having done)

• निष्क्रम्य: having gone out
• निष्क्रम्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘निष्क्रम्’ (to go out)

• वरुणालयात्: from Varuṇa’s abode
• वरुणालयात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: वरुणस्य आलयः); पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (Locus/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल-वाचक (adverb of time)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (particle of emphasis)

• निघ्नन्ति: they kill, they strike down
• निघ्नन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• जनान्: people
• जनान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• धर्मपरायणान्: devoted to dharma
• धर्मपरायणान्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (धर्मे परायणः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (जनान्)

Speaker

Unknown (Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa relating the māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Varuṇālaya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijasattama (best of the twice-born) implied by address in nearby verses

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dark riverside/sea-shore precinct marked as Varuṇa’s abode; shadowy assailants emerge at night to strike dharma-devoted pilgrims and householders.

Characters & Entities

• Varuṇa
• Varuṇālaya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even in a tīrtha-centered narrative, the Purāṇa underscores dharma by condemning violence against the righteous and portraying such acts as adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Varuṇālaya (the abode/shrine associated with Varuṇa), presented within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is descriptive/narrative rather than prescribing snāna, dāna, japa, or vrata.