Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

चौरचौरेति जल्पन्तौ पर स्परवधैषिणौ । भूभुजा वीक्षितौ तौ च द्विजौ तु द्विजसत्तमाः

Transliteration

cauracaureti jalpantau para sparavadhaiṣiṇau | bhūbhujā vīkṣitau tau ca dvijau tu dvijasattamāḥ

Translation

Sambil berteriak, “Pencuri! Pencuri!”, dan menginginkan kematian satu sama lain, keduanya dipandang oleh sang raja—dua brāhmaṇa itu, yang utama di antara kaum dwija.

Word by Word

• चौरचौर: thief, thief!
• चौरचौर: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चौर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संबोधनार्थे पुनरुक्ति (vocative sense implied)

• इति: thus
• इति: Nipata (Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• जल्पन्तौ: speaking/uttering
• जल्पन्तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जल्प् (धातु) + शतृ (present participle)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• परस्परवधैषिणौ: seeking to kill each other
• परस्परवधैषिणौ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परस्पर + वध + एषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (desiring each other's killing); विशेषणम् (जल्पन्तौ/तौ)

• भूभुजा: by the king
• भूभुजा: Kartr-karana (Agentive instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू + भुज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (earth-enjoyer = king)

• वीक्षितौ: were seen/observed
• वीक्षितौ: Karma (Patient/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ईक्ष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karma/Topic (those two)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• द्विजौ: two brāhmaṇas (twice-born)
• द्विजौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेष/विरोधार्थक

• द्विजसत्तमाः: the best of the twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजसत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (best among brāhmaṇas)

Speaker

Sūta (narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In the assembly hall, two brāhmaṇas point at each other, shouting ‘cora!’; the king watches from the throne, courtiers lean in, tension poised between justice and chaos.

Characters & Entities

• Bhūbhuj (king)
• Dvija (brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the learned can fall into anger; dharma requires restraint, truthful speech, and submission to fair judgment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.