Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

किमेतद्युज्यते तेषां वासिष्ठानां दुरात्मनाम् । शापं ददुः स्वयाज्यस्य विशेषाद्विनतस्य च

Transliteration

kimetadyujyate teṣāṃ vāsiṣṭhānāṃ durātmanām | śāpaṃ daduḥ svayājyasya viśeṣādvinatasya ca

Translation

邪悪な心を持つヴァシシュタの一族が、謙虚で彼らの祭祀に献身的な者に対して呪いをかけるなど、どうしてふさわしいと言えようか。

Word by Word

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma/Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (Subject of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'this' (with kim: 'what is this?')

• yujyate: is fitting/proper
• yujyate: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yuj (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदी; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive sense): 'is proper/fits'

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive: of them)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध

• vāsiṣṭhānām: of the Vāsiṣṭhas
• vāsiṣṭhānām: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (Vasiṣṭha's descendants/line)

• durātmanām: of the evil-souled
• durātmanām: Sambandha (Qualifier in genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; (दुरात्मानः = evil-souled) विशेषण of 'vāsiṣṭhānām'

• śāpam: curse
• śāpam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म

• daduḥ: they gave/uttered
• daduḥ: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपदी; 'they gave/uttered'

• svayājyasya: of their own venerable one
• svayājyasya: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva + yājya (प्रातिपदिक; √yaj → yājya 'fit for sacrifice/one to be worshipped')
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन; (स्वस्य याज्यस्य = of their own venerable/one fit to be worshipped) सम्बन्ध

• viśeṣāt: especially
• viśeṣāt: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial: especially)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्राय/तसिल्-अन्त (ablatival adverb): पञ्चमी-अर्थे 'especially, particularly'

• vinatasya: of the humble one
• vinatasya: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vinata (प्रातिपदिक; √nam with vi- → 'bowed/humble')
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध; (of the humble/bowed one)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/conjunction): 'and'

Speaker

The king’s son and/or attendants/ministers (questioning the curse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grieving speaker questions the fairness of the Vāsiṣṭhas’ curse; the king remains humble, hands lowered, while brahmin youths appear stern, embodying austere power.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Vāsiṣṭhas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when events seem unfair, Purāṇic narratives emphasize the inevitability of karmic unfolding and the need to seek sacred resolution.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Only a reference to honoring sacrificial/worship duties (yājya); no explicit vrata, snāna, or dāna is prescribed here.