Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

ततोऽभ्येत्य सहस्राक्षो दुर्गंधेन समावृतः । निस्तेजा म्लानवक्त्रश्च लज्जयाऽ धोमुखः स्थितः

Transliteration

tato'bhyetya sahasrākṣo durgaṃdhena samāvṛtaḥ | nistejā mlānavaktraśca lajjayā' dhomukhaḥ sthitaḥ

Translation

അപ്പോൾ സഹസ്രാക്ഷൻ മുന്നോട്ട് വന്നു; ദുർഗന്ധം മൂടി, തേജസ്സില്ലാതെ, മുഖം വാടിയ നിലയിൽ, ലജ്ജയാൽ തലകുനിച്ച് നിന്നു.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (then)

• अभ्येत्य: having approached
• अभ्येत्य: Kriya (Gerundial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘having come near/approached’

• सहस्राक्षः: Sahasrākṣa (Indra)
• सहस्राक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘सहस्रम् अक्षाणि यस्य’ (one who has a thousand eyes)

• दुर्गन्धेन: with foul smell
• दुर्गन्धेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• समावृतः: covered, enveloped
• समावृतः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (भूतकृदन्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘covered/enveloped’

• निस्तेजाः: without luster
• निस्तेजाः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘निः तेजः यस्य’ (devoid of radiance)

• म्लानवक्त्रः: pale-faced
• म्लानवक्त्रः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: म्लान (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘म्लानं वक्त्रं यस्य’ (with a pale face)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• लज्जया: with shame
• लज्जया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लज्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• अधोमुखः: down-faced
• अधोमुखः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘अधः मुखं यस्य’ (with face turned downward)

• स्थितः: stood, remained
• स्थितः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (भूतकृदन्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘stood/remained’

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa context; traditionally Sūta)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sahasrākṣa (Indra) approaches, enveloped in foul odor, devoid of radiance, face withered, head bowed in shame—an image of fallen majesty seeking redemption.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Sahasrākṣa/Śakra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma diminishes inner tejas (spiritual radiance); shame is portrayed as the natural consequence of wrongful acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it depicts the moral aftermath and humility.