Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

अयुक्तं विहितं तात यच्छप्तोऽयं बटुस्त्वया । न मां धर्षयितुं शक्तो विषाढ्योऽपि भुजंगमः

Transliteration

ayuktaṃ vihitaṃ tāta yacchapto'yaṃ baṭustvayā | na māṃ dharṣayituṃ śakto viṣāḍhyo'pi bhujaṃgamaḥ

Translation

ഭൃഗു പറഞ്ഞു—മകനേ, ഈ ബടുവിനെ നീ ശപിച്ചത് അയോഗ്യം. വിഷം നിറഞ്ഞ സർപ്പവും എന്നെ ആക്രമിക്കാൻ ശേഷിയുള്ളതല്ല।

Word by Word

• अयुक्तम्: improper
• अयुक्तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अयुक्त (प्रातिपदिक; √युज्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपसर्गः अ-; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• विहितम्: done/ordained
• विहितम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + हित (प्रातिपदिक; √धा)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; उपसर्गः वि-

• तात: O dear (father/son)
• तात: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• शप्तः: cursed
• शप्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शप्त (प्रातिपदिक; √शप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• बटुः: boy/young brahmacārin
• बटुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बटु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• धर्षयितुम्: to assault/overpower
• धर्षयितुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धर्षय् (धातु; causative of √धृष्)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive)

• शक्तः: able
• शक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त (प्रातिपदिक; √शक्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• विषाढ्यः: rich in poison; very venomous
• विषाढ्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विषेण आढ्यः/समृद्धः)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवाद-निपात (particle: even/also)

• भुजंगमः: snake
• भुजंगमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुजंगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Bhṛgu

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bhṛgu admonishes Cyavana: ‘Improper was this curse’; he stands or sits with calm authority, while Cyavana listens. A symbolic serpent with raised hood appears in the background, signifying the curse’s effect, yet subdued by Bhṛgu’s tejas.

Characters & Entities

• Bhṛgu
• Cyavana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power must be governed by dharma; even a sage’s curse should be proportionate and justified.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse focuses on ethical correction; the site praise is developed later with Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra and its sacred water.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a dhārmic rebuke establishing the ground for śāpa-mokṣa.