Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

यद्वत्कर्पूरजं गन्धं समग्रं त्वं हि वक्ष्यसि । अमेध्यसंभवं तद्वन्मम वाक्यादसंशयम्

Transliteration

yadvatkarpūrajaṃ gandhaṃ samagraṃ tvaṃ hi vakṣyasi | amedhyasaṃbhavaṃ tadvanmama vākyādasaṃśayam

Translation

De même que tu portes pleinement le parfum né du camphre, ainsi—par ma parole, sans aucun doute—tu porteras des odeurs issues de l’impureté.

Word by Word

• यद्वत्: just as
• यद्वत्: Sambandha (Correlation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानार्थक-सम्बन्धसूचक (correlative/comparative: 'just as')

• कर्पूरजम्: camphor-born
• कर्पूरजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्पूर + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कर्पूरात् जातम् = born of camphor)

• गन्धम्: fragrance
• गन्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• समग्रम्: entire, complete
• समग्रम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गन्धम्)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्य), प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• हि: indeed
• हि: Prayojaka (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/indeed)

• वक्ष्यसि: you will say
• वक्ष्यसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अमेध्यसंभवम्: arising from impurity
• अमेध्यसंभवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमेध्य + संभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अमेध्यात् संभवः = arising from impure matter)

• तद्वत्: likewise
• तद्वत्: Sambandha (Correlation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानार्थक (likewise/so)

• मम: my
• मम: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वाक्यात्: from (my) statement
• वाक्यात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन

• असंशयम्: without doubt
• असंशयम्: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: असंशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः; अव्ययार्थे द्वितीया-एकवचन (adverbial accusative: 'without doubt')

Speaker

Purāri (Śiva) (reported speech referenced by Vāyu)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nāga-bila

Type: cave

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A messenger or minor deity is warned: like camphor’s scent, the stench of impurity will cling; the setting hints at a dark cave-mouth (bila) with serpentine symbolism.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (Purāri)
• Vāyu
• Camphor (karpūra)
• Amedhya (impurity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The same cosmic function can transmit both purity and impurity; dharma emphasizes guarding sacredness to avoid spiritual contamination.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra narrative by explaining why the wind’s role becomes morally charged there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the implication supports śauca (cleanliness) and reverence around liṅga and tīrtha.