Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

पारिक्षितमखे तस्मिन्सर्पाणां चित्रभानुना । समंताद्दह्यमानानां रक्षोपायं प्रचिंतय

Transliteration

pārikṣitamakhe tasminsarpāṇāṃ citrabhānunā | samaṃtāddahyamānānāṃ rakṣopāyaṃ praciṃtaya

Translation

ആ പാരീക്ഷിത് യാഗത്തിൽ ചിത്രഭാനുവാൽ എല്ലാടവും ദഹിപ്പിക്കപ്പെടുന്ന സർപ്പങ്ങൾക്ക് രക്ഷാമാർഗം ആലോചിക്കണമേ।

Word by Word

• पारिक्षितमखे: in the sacrifice of Parīkṣit
• पारिक्षितमखे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारिक्षित-मख (प्रातिपदिक; पारिक्षित + मख)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्मिन्: in that (rite/time)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्पाणाम्: of the serpents
• सर्पाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• चित्रभानुना: by Citrabhānu (the fire)
• चित्रभानुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्रभानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• समन्तात्: on all sides
• समन्तात्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्तात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/परिमाणार्थक-अव्यय (adverb: 'on all sides')

• दह्यमानानाम्: of (those) being burnt
• दह्यमानानाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि-प्रयोगे शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifying 'सर्पाणाम्')

• रक्षोपायम्: a means of protection
• रक्षोपायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा-उपाय (प्रातिपदिक; रक्षा + उपाय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रचिन्तय: consider, devise
• प्रचिन्तय: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

Speaker

Nāgas (addressing Brahmā/Pitāmaha)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Prapitāmaha/Brahmā (addressed implicitly via protective counsel request)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A blazing sacrificial fire with offerings; serpents are being pulled toward the flames by mantra-force as priests chant; Nāgas cry out for a protection-strategy.

Characters & Entities

• Parīkṣit
• Sarpa (serpents)
• Citrabhānu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When collective destruction arises, dharma seeks a protective remedy that preserves balance and continuity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse alludes to the famed sarpa-yajña episode as a dharmic backdrop.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A yajña context is referenced (Parīkṣit’s sacrifice), but no new rite is prescribed in this line.