Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

। एवं तस्य नरेन्द्रस्य व्याघ्ररूपस्य कानने । जगाम सुमहान्कालो निघ्नतो विविधान्द्विज

Transliteration

| evaṃ tasya narendrasya vyāghrarūpasya kānane | jagāma sumahānkālo nighnato vividhāndvija

Translation

Ainsi, tandis que ce roi—désormais sous la forme d’un tigre—demeurait dans la forêt, un temps très long s’écoula, alors qu’il continuait à tuer des êtres variés, ô brāhmane.

Word by Word

• एवं: thus
• एवं: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवं (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this manner)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम् (Genitive singular)

• नरेन्द्रस्य: of the king
• नरेन्द्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक: नर + इन्द्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम् (Genitive singular, masc.)

• व्याघ्ररूपस्य: of (one) having a tiger-form
• व्याघ्ररूपस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्याघ्र-रूप (प्रातिपदिक: व्याघ्र + रूप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम् (Genitive singular, masc.); विशेषणम् (qualifier of नरेन्द्रस्य)

• कानने: in the forest
• कानने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कानन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम् (Locative singular, neut.)

• जगाम: went/passed
• जगाम: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (गम् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (3rd person singular)

• सुमहान्: very great
• सुमहान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-महत् (प्रातिपदिक: सु + महत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, masc.); विशेषणम् (qualifier of कालः)

• कालः: time
• कालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, masc.)

• निघ्नतः: of (him) killing
• निघ्नतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निघ्नत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √हन् (हन् धातु) + शतृ, नि-उपसर्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम् (Genitive singular, masc.); शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle)

• विविधान्: various
• विविधान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (Accusative plural, masc.); विशेषणम् (qualifier of द्विज)

• द्विज: Brahmins/twice-born
• द्विज: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम् (Accusative plural, masc.); (पाठे 'द्विज' इति रूपं, अर्थतः 'द्विजान्')

Speaker

Narrator (within the Purāṇic dialogue; exact named speaker not in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (episode continuum)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A brāhmaṇa interlocutor (dvija)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tiger with faint royal aura prowls a dense forest; shadows of slain creatures, broken branches, and a distant hermitage silhouette hint at impending moral reversal; time suggested by changing moons/seasonal foliage.

Characters & Entities

• King Kalaśa (implied)
• Forest (kānana)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma is lost, one may descend into violent instinct; time intensifies the consequences until grace or expiation intervenes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Śrī Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra context continues; this verse sets the narrative backdrop before the tīrtha’s saving power is shown.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None here; it narrates the passing of time and the tiger-form king’s actions.