Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

श्रुतिस्मृतिविरुद्धं च कर्म सद्भिर्विगर्हितम् । जामदग्न्येन तच्चीर्णं कस्मात्सूत वदस्व नः

Transliteration

śrutismṛtiviruddhaṃ ca karma sadbhirvigarhitam | jāmadagnyena taccīrṇaṃ kasmātsūta vadasva naḥ

Translation

Cet acte est contraire à la Śruti et à la Smṛti, et les justes le réprouvent. Pourquoi donc Jāmadagnya l’a-t-il accompli ? Dis-le-nous, ô Sūta.

Word by Word

• श्रुति-स्मृति-विरुद्धम्: contrary to śruti and smṛti
• श्रुति-स्मृति-विरुद्धम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुति + स्मृति + विरुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (श्रुतिस्मृत्योः विरुद्धम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• कर्म: act/ritual deed
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सद्भिः: by the good (people)
• सद्भिः: Karana (Agent-in-passive/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• विगर्हितम्: condemned
• विगर्हितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + गर्ह् (धातु) → विगर्हित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘निन्दितम्’

• जामदग्न्येन: by Jāmadagnya (Paraśurāma)
• जामदग्न्येन: Karana (Agent-in-passive/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जामदग्न्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• चीर्णम्: performed
• चीर्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर् (धातु) → चीर्ण (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘आचरितम्/कृतम्’

• कस्मात्: from what reason?/why?
• कस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• सूत: O Sūta
• सूत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• वदस्व: tell/speak
• वदस्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नः: to us/for us
• नः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th) / चतुर्थी (4th) बहुवचन-रूप (enclitic); अत्र ‘अस्माकम्/अस्मभ्यं’

Speaker

Ṛṣis (the sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sūta

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of brāhmaṇas/sages questioning the Sūta: one points to a manuscript labeled śruti-smṛti, another gestures in disapproval, demanding why Jāmadagnya performed a censured act.

Characters & Entities

• Śruti
• Smṛti
• Jāmadagnya (Paraśurāma)
• Sūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is measured against śāstra: even revered figures are examined through the lens of Śruti–Smṛti and the judgment of the righteous.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The inquiry continues within the Rāmahrada episode; the focus is on the reason behind the act rather than a new tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No prescription; it raises a doctrinal problem—how a Śruti–Smṛti-contrary act could be attributed to Jāmadagnya.