Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

न मे स्यादन्यथा वाणी उलूकस्त्वं भविष्यति । निशाचरो ह्युलूकोऽपि प्रोच्यते द्विजसत्तम

Transliteration

na me syādanyathā vāṇī ulūkastvaṃ bhaviṣyati | niśācaro hyulūko'pi procyate dvijasattama

Translation

എന്റെ വാക്ക് മറ്റെങ്ങനെ ആകുകയില്ല; നീ ഉലൂകനായി (മൂങ്ങയായി) മാറും. മൂങ്ങയെയും ‘നിശാചരൻ’ എന്നു വിളിക്കുന്നു, ഹേ ദ്വിജശ്രേഷ്ഠാ।

Word by Word

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

• मे: of me/my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive) एकवचन; ‘मम’ अर्थे

• स्यात्: would be/should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Sambandha (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: otherwise)

• वाणी: speech/utterance
• वाणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उलूकः: an owl
• उलूकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उलूक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भविष्यति: will become
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• निशाचरः: a night-roamer (demon)
• निशाचरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशाचर (प्रातिपदिक; निशा + चर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (निशायां चरः)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• उलूकः: owl
• उलूकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उलूक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Addition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• प्रोच्यते: is called
• प्रोच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (Passive: is called)

• द्विजसत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (द्विजः सत्तमः)

Speaker

The sage (contextually Bhārgava, continuing the śāpa rationale)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A brāhmaṇa addressed as 'dvija-sattama'

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The authoritative speaker declares the curse; the brāhmaṇa begins to transform—shadowed eyes, feathers suggested, night setting implied; an owl silhouette appears, symbolizing niśācara.

Characters & Entities

• ulūka
• niśācara
• dvija

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A realized sage’s utterance is portrayed as unfailing; words spoken in dharmic authority take effect.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it explains the inevitability of the curse and the designation ‘niśācara’ as ‘night-roamer’.