Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

ततः सर्वं समालोक्य ताप्यमानं महोरगैः । तत्स्थानं स्वजनैर्मुक्तं दुःखेन महतान्वितैः

Transliteration

tataḥ sarvaṃ samālokya tāpyamānaṃ mahoragaiḥ | tatsthānaṃ svajanairmuktaṃ duḥkhena mahatānvitaiḥ

Translation

പിന്നീട് മഹാനാഗങ്ങൾ എല്ലാം പീഡിപ്പിക്കുന്നതു കണ്ടപ്പോൾ, ആ സ്ഥലത്തെ ജനങ്ങൾ മഹാദുഃഖത്തിൽ മുങ്ങി ആ സ്ഥലം ഉപേക്ഷിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Time/Sequence (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘then/from there’)

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• समालोक्य: having observed
• समालोक्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + आलोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having seen’

• ताप्यमानम्: being tormented
• ताप्यमानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कर्मणि-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘being tormented/heated’

• महोरगैः: by great serpents
• महोरगैः: Karana/Agent in passive (करण/कर्तृ-भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महोरग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तत्स्थानम्: that place
• तत्स्थानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तस्य स्थानम्)

• स्वजनैः: by her own people/kinsmen
• स्वजनैः: Karana/Agent in passive (करण/कर्तृ-भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य जनाः)

• मुक्तम्: abandoned
• मुक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘abandoned/released’

• दुःखेन: with sorrow
• दुःखेन: Hetu/Instrument (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• महतान्वितैः: by those accompanied with great (grief)
• महतान्वितैः: Karana/Agent in passive (करण/कर्तृ-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (महत्या/महता अन्वित)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya discourse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Villagers with bundles and family members depart a serpent-tormented settlement; serpents appear in streets/fields; faces show grief and exhaustion; emptying houses and silent shrines.

Characters & Entities

• mahā-uraga (great serpents)
• inhabitants (svajanāḥ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When a place falls into affliction, collective dharmic stability breaks; protection follows righteousness and right conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse indicates a locale impacted by serpents, but does not specify the tīrtha name in this excerpt.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None stated.