Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

व्याघ्रः क्षुत्क्षामकण्ठश्च तस्या मार्गावलोककः । संरंभाटोपसंयुक्तः सृक्किणी परिलेहयन्

Transliteration

vyāghraḥ kṣutkṣāmakaṇṭhaśca tasyā mārgāvalokakaḥ | saṃraṃbhāṭopasaṃyuktaḥ sṛkkiṇī parilehayan

Translation

ക്ഷുധയാൽ തൊണ്ട വറ്റിയ ആ വ്യാഘ്രം അവൾ വരാനിരിക്കുന്ന വഴിയെ നോക്കി നിന്നു; ക്രോധവും അഹങ്കാരവും നിറഞ്ഞ് വായിന്റെ കോണുകൾ നക്കിക്കൊണ്ടിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• व्याघ्रः: tiger
• व्याघ्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• क्षुत्-क्षाम-कण्ठः: with throat emaciated by hunger
• क्षुत्-क्षाम-कण्ठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुत् (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षाम (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (क्षुधा क्षामः कण्ठः यस्य)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मार्ग-अवलोककः: watcher of her path
• मार्ग-अवलोककः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अवलोकक (प्रातिपदिक; √लोक्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मार्गस्य अवलोककः = watcher of the path)

• संरम्भ-आटोप-संयुक्तः: filled with rage and swagger
• संरम्भ-आटोप-संयुक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संरम्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + आटोप (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (कृदन्त; सम्√युज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (संरम्भेण आटोपेन च संयुक्तः)

• सृक्किणी: the two corners of (his) mouth
• सृक्किणी: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृक्कि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), द्विवचन; (sṛkkī = corners of the mouth)

• परिलेहयन्: licking
• परिलेहयन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि√लिह् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; present active participle

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator voice within the Māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A gaunt, starving tiger lurks, eyes fixed on the path, bristling with aggressive pride, licking its mouth—an ambush poised to strike.

Characters & Entities

• vyāghra (tiger)
• Nandinī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse heightens the moral tension—predatory hunger versus a devotee’s steadfastness—preparing for a dharmic transformation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The immediate focus is the sacred narrative landscape of the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya; no distinct named tīrtha appears in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is narrative characterization.