Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

तमुवाच विभो पाहि पाहि पापर्द्धिकादथ । तपसा किं च धर्मेण मौनेन च जपेन च

Transliteration

tamuvāca vibho pāhi pāhi pāparddhikādatha | tapasā kiṃ ca dharmeṇa maunena ca japena ca

Translation

അവൾ പറഞ്ഞു—“ഹേ വിഭോ, എന്നെ രക്ഷിക്കണമേ; ഈ പാപമയമായ ദുരന്തത്തിൽ നിന്ന് കാക്കണമേ. ഭീതനായവന് അഭയം നൽകാനാകില്ലെങ്കിൽ തപസ്സ്, ധർമ്മം, മൗനം, ജപം ഇവയ്ക്ക് എന്ത് പ്രയോജനം?”

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• विभो: O Lord
• विभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• पाहि: protect
• पाहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु; √पा रक्षणे)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• पाहि: protect (again)
• पाहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु; √पा रक्षणे)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (पुनरुक्ति—आर्तप्रार्थना)

• पापर्द्धिकात्: from the increase of sin / sinful prosperity
• पापर्द्धिकात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप-ऋद्धि (प्रातिपदिक; पाप + ऋद्धि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पापस्य ऋद्धिः = पापवृद्धिः)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/now)

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• किम्: what (use)
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• धर्मेण: by dharma / righteousness
• धर्मेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• मौनेन: by silence
• मौनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• जपेन: by recitation
• जपेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

Speaker

Vṛndā (addressing the tapasvin)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vṛndā, trembling, hands raised in supplication, addresses the radiant ascetic: her face shows fear and moral urgency; the ascetic remains composed, luminous, embodying refuge.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛndā
• tapasvin (ascetic)
• tapas
• dharma
• mauna
• japa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is tested in action: protecting one who seeks refuge outweighs mere austerity, silence, or ritual practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The appeal occurs in the hermitage within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa tīrtha-region, where saintly protection is part of the site’s sanctifying power.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas, mauna, and japa are referenced, but not prescribed; they are invoked to stress that compassionate refuge is the higher dharma.