Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

कृपां कृत्वा वसिष्ठस्तु नन्दिनीमिदमब्रवीत् । रक्ष नंदिनि भूपालं म्लेच्छैरेतैः समावृतम्

Transliteration

kṛpāṃ kṛtvā vasiṣṭhastu nandinīmidamabravīt | rakṣa naṃdini bhūpālaṃ mlecchairetaiḥ samāvṛtam

Translation

കരുണയോടെ വസിഷ്ഠൻ നന്ദിനിയോട് പറഞ്ഞു— “ഹേ നന്ദിനീ, ഈ മ്ലേച്ഛന്മാർ ചുറ്റിയിരിക്കുന്ന ഈ ഭൂപാലനെ രക്ഷിക്കൂ.”

Word by Word

• कृपाम्: compassion
• कृपाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृपा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having shown
• कृत्वा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having done/shown)

• वसिष्ठः: Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• नन्दिनीम्: Nandinī
• नन्दिनीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; वाक्यकर्म (quoted speech)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• रक्ष: protect
• रक्ष: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद; मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• नन्दिनि: O Nandinī
• नन्दिनि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• भूपालम्: the king
• भूपालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भू + पाल); पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• म्लेच्छैः: by barbarians
• म्लेच्छैः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: म्लेच्छ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• एतैः: by these
• एतैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; 'म्लेच्छैः' इत्यस्य विशेषण

• समावृतम्: surrounded
• समावृतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समावृत (कृदन्त; सम्-आ-√वृ (धातु))
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; 'भूपालम्' इत्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Vasiṣṭha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vasiṣṭha, serene yet urgent, addresses Nandinī with a gesture of command and compassion; in the distance the king is encircled by hostile warriors.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Nandinī
• Viśvāmitra
• Mlecchas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True dharma includes compassion even toward an adversary; protecting rightful order can be more important than personal victory.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is within a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter, but the specific tīrtha is not named in this excerpt.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; this is an ethical and narrative instruction centered on protection and compassion.