Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

कच्चिद्दयासमोपेता गात्रक्लेशकरानपि । यूकामत्कुणदंशादीन्पुत्रवत्परिरक्षसि

Transliteration

kacciddayāsamopetā gātrakleśakarānapi | yūkāmatkuṇadaṃśādīnputravatparirakṣasi

Translation

Douée de compassion, protèges-tu comme tes propres enfants même ceux qui causent des tourments au corps—tels les poux, les punaises, les moustiques et autres semblables ?

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: whether? (I hope)
• कच्चित्: Sambandha (Discourse/प्रश्नसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative particle)

• दयासमोपेता: endowed with compassion
• दयासमोपेता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दया + सम् + उपेत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘endowed with compassion’

• गात्रक्लेशकरान्: (those) causing bodily affliction
• गात्रक्लेशकरान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्र + क्लेश + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Plural); ‘causing bodily pain’

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवाद-अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• यूका: lice
• यूका: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यूका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (समास-पूर्वपद-रूप), बहुवचनार्थे समाहार (lice; used as member in list-compound)

• मत्कुण: bedbugs
• मत्कुण: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्कुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (समास-पूर्वपद-रूप), बहुवचनार्थे (bedbugs; list member)

• दंशादीन्: bites and the like
• दंशादीन्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दंश + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Plural); ‘bites etc.’ (आदि-समास)

• पुत्रवत्: as (one would) a son
• पुत्रवत्: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुत्रवत् (अव्यय/तुल्ययोगे)
• Form: उपमान-अव्यय (adverb of comparison) ‘like a son’

• परिरक्षसि: you protect
• परिरक्षसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Present Indicative, 2nd person singular)

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic voice within Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A compassionate ascetic/householder gently removes insects from cloth or skin without killing, placing them aside; the face shows patience, not disgust; a subtle aura of sanctity surrounds the act.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True compassion is impartial: the vow of non-harm is tested precisely by creatures that irritate and inconvenience us.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it supports the moral purity expected of tīrtha-oriented life.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual; it prescribes dayā/ahiṃsā as a lived discipline toward all beings.