Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 92

Devanagari script

सोऽहं रूपं महत्कृत्वा तामादाय तपस्विनीम् । सुखसुप्तां सुविश्रब्धां प्रस्थितो दक्षिणामुखः

Transliteration

so'haṃ rūpaṃ mahatkṛtvā tāmādāya tapasvinīm | sukhasuptāṃ suviśrabdhāṃ prasthito dakṣiṇāmukhaḥ

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ഞാൻ ഭയങ്കരമായ മഹാരൂപം ധരിച്ചു ആ തപസ്വിനിയെ പിടിച്ചെടുത്തു; അവൾ സുഖമായി നിർഭയമായി ഉറങ്ങുമ്പോൾ ഞാൻ ദക്ഷിണമുഖമായി പുറപ്പെട്ടു।

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग-प्रयोग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• महत्: great
• महत्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; रूपम् इति विशेषण

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Absolutive/Gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• आदाय: having taken (along)
• आदाय: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Absolutive/Gerund), पूर्वक्रिया

• तपस्विनीम्: the ascetic woman
• तपस्विनीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; ताम् इति समानाधिकरण

• सुखसुप्ताम्: sleeping comfortably
• सुखसुप्ताम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख + सुप्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-आधारित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; तपस्विनीम् इति विशेषण; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सुखेन सुप्ता)

• सुविश्रब्धाम्: very unsuspecting/at ease
• सुविश्रब्धाम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + विश्रब्ध (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-आधारित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; तपस्विनीम् इति विशेषण

• प्रस्थितः: set out/departed
• प्रस्थितः: Kriya (Main action/मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-स्था (धातु) → प्रस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past participle used finitely), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• दक्षिणामुखः: facing south
• दक्षिणामुखः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; प्रस्थितः इति विशेषण; समासः—बहुव्रीहि (दक्षिणं मुखं यस्य)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (offending disciple)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A figure transforms into a huge, terrifying form, lifts the sleeping ascetic woman, and strides south through a dark forest under moonlight.

Characters & Entities

• Gālava’s wife
• śiṣya (disciple)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Misuse of power and betrayal of trust are grave adharma that inevitably invite swift karmic consequence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this shloka; the verse functions as a moral episode within the Tīrthamāhātmya framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is on unethical action that contrasts with dharmic living.