Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

दंष्ट्राभ्या मिति यस्तत्र नरश्चौरार्दितः पठेत् । नोपद्रवो भवेत्तस्य कदाचिच्चौरसंभवः

Transliteration

daṃṣṭrābhyā miti yastatra naraścaurārditaḥ paṭhet | nopadravo bhavettasya kadāciccaurasaṃbhavaḥ

Translation

ಕಳ್ಳರಿಂದ ಪೀಡಿತನಾದ ಮನುಷ್ಯನು ಅಲ್ಲಿ ‘ದಂಷ್ಟ್ರಾಭ್ಯಾಂ’ ಎಂದು ಪಠಿಸಿದರೆ, ಕಳ್ಳರಿಂದ ಉಂಟಾಗುವ ಉಪದ್ರವವು ಅವನಿಗೆ ಎಂದಿಗೂ ಸಂಭವಿಸುವುದಿಲ್ಲ।

Word by Word

• दंष्ट्राभ्याम्: with the two fangs/teeth
• दंष्ट्राभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दंष्ट्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/instrumental), द्विवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चौर-अर्दितः: tormented by thieves
• चौर-अर्दितः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चौर (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्दित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √अर्द्/अर्दय्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः: चौरैः अर्दितः (instrumental sense)

• पठेत्: should recite
• पठेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

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

• उपद्रवः: harm/disturbance
• उपद्रवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपद्रव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भवेत्: would occur
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तस्य: for him/of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कदाचित्: ever
• कदाचित्: Sambandha (Time adjunct/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ever/at any time)

• चौर-सम्भवः: arising from thieves
• चौर-सम्भवः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चौर (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः: चौरात् सम्भवः (ablative sense)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa tīrtha-māhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lone pilgrim on a road near the tīrtha recites a mantra; shadowy thieves retreat, while a protective divine aura (like fangs/daṁṣṭrā symbolism) forms a shield around him.

Characters & Entities

• Daṁṣṭrābhyām (mantra incipit)
• Cora (thief)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma safeguards household life; devotion and disciplined recitation are depicted as protective supports for society.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A tīrtha in Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya (the verse’s ‘tatra’ indicates the sanctified location).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Recitation of a mantra identified by the words “daṁṣṭrābhyām iti” to avert troubles caused by thieves.