Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

जन्मना जायते शूद्रः संस्काराद्द्विज उच्यते । शापानुग्रहसामर्थ्यं तथा क्रोधः प्रसन्नता

Transliteration

janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṃskārāddvija ucyate | śāpānugrahasāmarthyaṃ tathā krodhaḥ prasannatā

Translation

ജന്മത്താൽ മനുഷ്യൻ ശൂദ്രനായി ജനിക്കുന്നു; സംസ്കാരങ്ങളാൽ ‘ദ്വിജൻ’ എന്നു വിളിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. അതിൽ നിന്നാണ് ശപിക്കാനും അനുഗ്രഹിക്കാനും ഉള്ള സാമർത്ഥ്യവും, അതുപോലെ ക്രോധവും പ്രസന്നതയും എന്ന ശക്തിയും ഉദ്ഭവിക്കുന്നത്.

Word by Word

• जन्मना: by birth
• जन्मना: Karaṇa/Hetu (Means/Cause/करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• जायते: is born/becomes
• जायते: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• शूद्रः: a śūdra
• शूद्रः: Karma (Predicate complement/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-नाम (predicate nominative)

• संस्कारात्: from (ritual) consecration/saṃskāra
• संस्कारात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/ablative), एकवचन

• द्विजः: twice-born
• द्विजः: Karma (Predicate complement/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-नाम (predicate nominative)

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + उत् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• शापानुग्रहसामर्थ्यम्: power of cursing and blessing
• शापानुग्रहसामर्थ्यम्: Karma (Object/topic/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाप (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + सामर्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (शापश्च अनुग्रहश्च—तयोः सामर्थ्यम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/उपमानबोधक adverb)

• क्रोधः: anger
• क्रोधः: Karta (Subject/topic/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

• प्रसन्नता: serenity/favor
• प्रसन्नता: Karta (Subject/topic/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसन्नता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (deduced: Nāgara Khaṇḍa māhātmya narration style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A guru performs upanayana for a student: yajñopavīta being placed, with a small sacred fire; to one side, a split-panel allegory shows a harsh curse as dark flame and a blessing as cool light, both emerging from the same consecrated mouth—signaling responsibility.

Characters & Entities

• Saṃskāra
• Dvija
• Śāpa (curse)
• Anugraha (blessing)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual nobility is cultivated through saṃskāra and discipline; inner refinement grants moral and spiritual potency.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse serves the broader tīrtha-māhātmya discourse but does not name a particular tīrtha in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Saṃskāra (consecratory rites) is highlighted as the transformative means by which ‘dvija’ status is attained.