Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

रोमक उवाच । अन्यस्यापि निशानाथ न शापः कर्तुमन्यथा । शक्यते किं पुनस्तस्य दक्षस्यामिततेजसः

Transliteration

romaka uvāca | anyasyāpi niśānātha na śāpaḥ kartumanyathā | śakyate kiṃ punastasya dakṣasyāmitatejasaḥ

Translation

റോമകൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ നിശാനാഥാ! മറ്റൊരാളുടെ ശാപം പോലും മാറ്റിവയ്ക്കാൻ കഴിയില്ല; അപ്പൊഴോ അപാരതേജസ്സുള്ള ദക്ഷന്റെ ശാപം എത്ര അചഞ്ചലം!

Word by Word

• रोमकः: Romaka
• रोमकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोमक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• अन्यस्य: of another (person)
• अन्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थ (also/even)

• निशानाथ: O lord of the night (Moon)
• निशानाथ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशानाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: निशायाः नाथः (lord of night)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• शापः: a curse
• शापः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• कर्तुम्: to do/utter (a curse)
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive), कर्तुम् = to do/make

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• शक्यते: is possible
• शक्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), आत्मनेपद

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative)

• पुनः: then/moreover
• पुनः: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पुनरुक्ति/विशेषणार्थ (again/then/moreover)

• तस्य: of him/that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• दक्षस्य: of Dakṣa
• दक्षस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• अमिततेजसः: of the immeasurably radiant (one)
• अमिततेजसः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमित-तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास: अमितं तेजः यस्य (of one whose splendor is immeasurable)

Speaker

Romaka (sage)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Candra (Niśānātha/Rātripati)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Romaka addresses the Moon (Niśānātha/Rātripati), emphasizing that Dakṣa’s curse cannot be reversed; the Moon appears wan and afflicted, listening in humility.

Characters & Entities

• Romaka (sage)
• Candra (Moon)
• Dakṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Actions and their dharmic consequences (śāpa/karma) carry weight; wisdom does not deny consequence but guides one toward lawful, sacred means of relief.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The dialogue unfolds in the Prabhāsa-kṣetra context within the Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it establishes the firmness of Dakṣa’s curse, setting up the need for an authorized spiritual remedy.