Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

कुकर्मणा न संस्पृष्टं स्वल्पेनापि ब्रवीषि माम् । एतज्जन्मातरं दृष्टं स्मरामि मुनिसत्तम

Transliteration

kukarmaṇā na saṃspṛṣṭaṃ svalpenāpi bravīṣi mām | etajjanmātaraṃ dṛṣṭaṃ smarāmi munisattama

Translation

ನೀನು ಹೇಳುತ್ತೀ—ನಾನು ಸ್ವಲ್ಪವೂ ಕುಕರ್ಮದಿಂದ ಸ್ಪರ್ಶಿತನಲ್ಲ ಎಂದು. ಆದರೂ, ಹೇ ಮುನಿಸತ್ತಮನೇ, ನೀನು ನನ್ನ ಇನ್ನೊಂದು ಜನ್ಮವನ್ನು ಕಂಡಿದ್ದೆ ಎಂಬುದು ನನಗೆ ಸ್ಮರಣೆ.

Word by Word

• कुकर्मणा: by evil deed
• कुकर्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kukarman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (कु + कर्म)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• संस्पृष्टम्: touched/tainted
• संस्पृष्टम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√spṛś (धातु) + saṃspṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (अहम्) इति कर्तरि/कर्मणि भावः—'touched/tainted'

• स्वल्पेन: by even a little (amount)
• स्वल्पेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; 'अल्पेन' अर्थे

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (even/also)

• ब्रवीषि: you say
• ब्रवीषि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; जन्मान्तरम् इति विशेषण

• जन्मान्तरम्: other birth (previous life)
• जन्मान्तरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janman + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• दृष्टम्: seen
• दृष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु) + dṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• स्मरामि: I remember
• स्मरामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मुनिनां सत्तमः)

Speaker

Unspecified petitioner/king (contextual; speaking to a sage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The petitioner gestures in puzzled sincerity, recalling the sage’s earlier revelation; the sage holds a composed teaching posture, indicating a forthcoming clarification.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when one believes oneself blameless, karmic causation may extend beyond what is remembered; sages clarify the hidden links.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is directly named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.