Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

एवं शप्त्वा गजं शीघ्रं नष्टो वैश्वानरः पुनः । देवाश्चापि तथा पृष्ठे संलग्नास्तद्दिदृक्षया

Transliteration

evaṃ śaptvā gajaṃ śīghraṃ naṣṭo vaiśvānaraḥ punaḥ | devāścāpi tathā pṛṣṭhe saṃlagnāstaddidṛkṣayā

Translation

ಹೀಗೆ ಗಜವನ್ನು ತ್ವರಿತವಾಗಿ ಶಪಿಸಿ ವೈಶ್ವಾನರ (ಅಗ್ನಿ) ಮತ್ತೆ ಅಂತರಧಾನನಾದನು; ದೇವರೂ ಕೂಡ ಏನಾಗುವುದೆಂದು ನೋಡಲು ಆಸೆಯಿಂದ ಅವನ ಹಿಂದೆ ಹತ್ತಿರಹತ್ತಿರ ಅನುಸರಿಸಿದರು.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb: 'thus')

• शप्त्वा: having cursed
• शप्त्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Prior action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शप् (धातु) + त्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund); पूर्वकालिक

• गजम्: the elephant
• गजम्: Karma (Object of शप्त्वा/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Acc.); एकवचन

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: quickly)

• नष्टः: disappeared
• नष्टः: Kriya (Predicative participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु) + क्त
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• वैश्वानरः: Vaiśvānara (fire)
• वैश्वानरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (Nom.); एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्तिवाचक (again)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction: and)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (also/even)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/तुल्यतावाचक (so, likewise)

• पृष्ठे: on the back
• पृष्ठे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (Loc.); एकवचन

• संलग्नाः: clung, attached
• संलग्नाः: Kriya (Predicative participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + लग् (धातु) + क्त
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; बहुवचन

• तत्: that (thing/event)
• तत्: Karma (Object of didṛkṣayā-intent/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (Acc.); एकवचन

• दिदृक्षया: with the desire to see (it)
• दिदृक्षया: Hetu/Karana (Motive/Instrumental of purpose/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + सन् (इच्छार्थक) → दिदृक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सन्नन्त-भाववाचक कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक (desiderative noun: desire to see); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (Instr.); एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Agni fades into the forest air after cursing; devas hurry after the vanishing glow, their ornaments trailing light, while the elephant remains behind, stunned.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśvānara (Agni)
• Devas
• Gaja (elephant)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The cosmos is dynamic: consequences unfold swiftly, and even divine beings remain attentive to the unfolding of dharma and disorder.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated in this verse.