Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

तस्मादेतत्पुरं कृत्स्नं पशुपक्षि समन्वितम् । नाशमद्य नयिष्यामि यथा शत्रोर्हि दुष्टकः

Transliteration

tasmādetatpuraṃ kṛtsnaṃ paśupakṣi samanvitam | nāśamadya nayiṣyāmi yathā śatrorhi duṣṭakaḥ

Translation

C'est pourquoi je vais aujourd'hui mener cette ville entière, avec ses bêtes et ses oiseaux, à la ruine, tout comme on détruirait un ennemi méchant.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore; from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तस्मात्-प्रयोगः), अपादानार्थे/हेतौ; indeclinable used as ‘therefore/from that’

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; demonstrative adjective qualifying ‘पुरम्’

• पुरम्: city
• पुरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• कृत्स्नम्: entire, whole
• कृत्स्नम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्स्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; adjective qualifying ‘पुरम्’

• पशु-पक्षि: animals and birds
• पशु-पक्षि: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक) + पक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास (पशवश्च पक्षिणश्च); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (context: with ‘समन्वितम्’ as instrumental sense implied)

• समन्वितम्: accompanied by, filled with
• समन्वितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+अन्वि (धातु) → समन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘endowed/filled with’ qualifying ‘पुरम्’

• नाशम्: destruction
• नाशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• अद्य: today, now
• अद्य: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• नयिष्यामि: I will lead/bring
• नयिष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्काल), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense not intended—simple future ‘I will lead/bring’

• यथा: as, so that
• यथा: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (conjunction/adverb: ‘as, in such a way that’)

• शत्रोः: of the enemy
• शत्रोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Connector/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• दुष्टकः: the wicked one
• दुष्टकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Durvāsā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A furious ruler/warrior vows to annihilate an entire city, with animals and birds included; the cityscape trembles under a darkening sky as dharma hangs in balance.

Characters & Entities

• Durvāsā
• the city (pura)
• animals and birds

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It dramatizes the Purāṇic warning that collective harm can arise from unchecked wrath and adharma, and that spiritual power must be restrained by dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse refers to “this city” without naming it; the tīrtha context is broader within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a declaration of intent to curse/destroy, not a ritual instruction.