Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

तच्छ्रुत्वा चरणौ तस्य दुःशीलोऽसौ तदाऽददे । विन्यस्य स्वशिर स्ताभ्यां ततोवाक्यमुवाच ह

Transliteration

tacchrutvā caraṇau tasya duḥśīlo'sau tadā'dade | vinyasya svaśira stābhyāṃ tatovākyamuvāca ha

Translation

അത് കേട്ട ദുഃശീലൻ അപ്പോൾ തന്നെ അദ്ദേഹത്തിന്റെ പാദങ്ങൾ പിടിച്ചു; തന്റെ തല അവയിൽ വെച്ച് പിന്നെ ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• tat: that (statement/thing)
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (Gerund/Absolutive)

• caraṇau: (his) two feet
• caraṇau: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), द्विवचन (Dual)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• duḥśīlaḥ: ill-conducted
• duḥśīlaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥśīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (bad-natured)

• asau: that man (he)
• asau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kala-adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• adade: he gave
• adade: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• vinyasya: having placed/setting down
• vinyasya: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√as (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (Gerund); उपसर्ग: वि + नि

• svaśiraḥ: his own head
• svaśiraḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (one's own head)

• tābhyām: with those two (feet)
• tābhyām: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (सन्दर्भे: चरणौ), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), द्विवचन (Dual)

• tataḥ: thereafter
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thereafter)

• vākyam: words; a statement
• vākyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• ha: indeed
• ha: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

Speaker

Narrator (describing Duḥśīla’s act of surrender)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Duḥśīla, visibly remorseful, kneels and grasps the teacher/devotee’s feet; he places his head upon them. Onlookers and a nearby shrine underscore the sanctity of the moment.

Characters & Entities

• Duḥśīla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Transformation begins with humility: surrender to the teacher (feet and head gesture) marks readiness for discipline and grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of a tīrtha-māhātmya storyline in the Nāgarakhaṇḍa; the immediate focus is the seeker’s submission rather than a site-name.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A formal act of praṇāma—taking the guru’s feet and placing one’s head upon them—signals acceptance of guidance prior to initiation.