Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

प्राप्तान्न लभंते ते भोगान्भोक्तुं स्वकर्मणा कृपणाः । मुखपाकः किल भवति द्राक्षापाके बलिभुजानाम्

Transliteration

prāptānna labhaṃte te bhogānbhoktuṃ svakarmaṇā kṛpaṇāḥ | mukhapākaḥ kila bhavati drākṣāpāke balibhujānām

Translation

吝嗇の者は自らの業によって、得たものを真に味わうための享楽を得られない。まことに、供物を食する者でさえ、葡萄を煮るときにも「口が灼ける」ことがある――宿業により、甘きものすら苦痛となる。

Word by Word

• प्राप्तान्: obtained
• प्राप्तान्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; 'obtained' (भोगान् विशेषयति)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• लभन्ते: obtain, get
• लभन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• भोगान्: enjoyments
• भोगान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• भोक्तुम्: to enjoy
• भोक्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमन्त (infinitive): 'to enjoy/eat'

• स्वकर्मणा: by their own deeds
• स्वकर्मणा: Karana (Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक: स्व + कर्मन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य कर्म)

• कृपणाः: miserly people
• कृपणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• मुखपाकः: mouth-soreness (a mouth ailment)
• मुखपाकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख-पाक (प्रातिपदिक: मुख + पाक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थे (मुखस्य पाकः = मुखरोग/मुखदाह)

• किल: indeed, it is said
• किल: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रसिद्ध्यर्थक/खलु-अर्थे अव्यय (indeed, it is said)

• भवति: occurs, becomes
• भवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• द्राक्षापाके: at the ripening of grapes
• द्राक्षापाके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्राक्षा-पाक (प्रातिपदिक: द्राक्षा + पाक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्राक्षायाः पाकः)

• बलिभुजानाम्: of those who eat offerings (sacrificial eaters)
• बलिभुजानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि-भुज् (प्रातिपदिक: बलि + भुज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (बलिं भुङ्क्ते इति)

Speaker

Narrative voice within Tīrthamāhātmya (contextual speaker not explicit in the excerpt)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A miser sits before a sweet dish of grapes, yet his mouth burns; beside him, a donor eats simple food peacefully—showing karma’s reversal.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Karma shapes one’s capacity to enjoy; miserliness and wrong conduct make even legitimate pleasures turn into suffering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named directly; the verse offers ethical instruction consistent with tīrtha-mahātmya ideals.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed; the implied corrective is dharmic living—especially generosity and right use of wealth.