Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

क्षुधा संपीड्यमानस्य स्वर्गमेतच्छचीपते । अग्नितुल्यं समुद्दिष्टं मम चित्तेऽपि वर्तते

Transliteration

kṣudhā saṃpīḍyamānasya svargametacchacīpate | agnitulyaṃ samuddiṣṭaṃ mama citte'pi vartate

Translation

ഹേ ശചീപതേ, ക്ഷുധയാൽ ഞെരുക്കപ്പെടുന്നവന് ഈ സ്വർഗ്ഗവും അഗ്നിതുല്യമെന്നു പറയപ്പെടുന്നു; അതേ ദാഹം എന്റെ ചിത്തത്തിലും കത്തുന്നു.

Word by Word

• kṣudhā: by hunger
• kṣudhā: Karana (Cause/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣudh (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन — ‘by/with hunger’

• saṃpīḍyamānasya: of one being oppressed
• saṃpīḍyamānasya: Sambandha (Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam + pīḍ (धातु) → saṃpīḍyamāna (शतृ/वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — ‘of (one) being oppressed’

• svargam: heaven
• svargam: Karma (Object/complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘heaven’

• etat: this
• etat: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘this’ (qualifying svargam)

• śacī-pate: O Śacī’s lord (Indra)
• śacī-pate: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śacī + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन — ‘O lord of Śacī (Indra)’

• agni-tulyam: like fire
• agni-tulyam: Karma (Predicative complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: agni + tulya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘fire-like’ (predicate to svargam etat)

• samuddiṣṭam: is said to be
• samuddiṣṭam: Karma (Predicative complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam + ud + diś (धातु) → samuddiṣṭa (क्त/PPP)
• Form: क्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘declared/said to be’

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन — ‘my’

• citte: in (the) mind
• citte: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन — ‘in (my) mind’

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) — ‘also/even’

• vartate: prevails/exists
• vartate: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद — ‘exists/prevails’

Speaker

Vasusena (addressing Indra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The speaker clutches his stomach or chest, describing an inner burning; the radiant svarga backdrop contrasts with a subtle aura of heat around him, as if flames are within.

Characters & Entities

• Vasusena
• Indra (Śacīpati)
• Śacī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Suffering is experienced inwardly; when basic needs are denied by karma, even paradise becomes torment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it intensifies the plea for a remedy.