Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

येन व्यापाद्यते तेन शक्रोऽयं मदगर्वितः । मखमाहात्म्यसंपन्नः स्वल्पबुद्धिपरा क्रमः

Transliteration

yena vyāpādyate tena śakro'yaṃ madagarvitaḥ | makhamāhātmyasaṃpannaḥ svalpabuddhiparā kramaḥ

Translation

ഏതു ഉപായം കൊണ്ടോ മദഗർവത്തിൽ മത്തനായ ഈ ശക്രൻ (ഇന്ദ്രൻ) നശിക്കുമോ, അതേ ഉപായം കൊണ്ടുതന്നെ അവൻ നശിക്കട്ടെ. യാഗമാഹാത്മ്യവുമായി ബന്ധപ്പെട്ടിട്ടും അവന്റെ പെരുമാറ്റം ക്ഷുദ്രബുദ്ധിക്കു കീഴിലാണ്.

Word by Word

• येन: by which/with whom
• येन: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; relative-instrumental/ablative sense by context

• व्यापाद्यते: is slain/destroyed
• व्यापाद्यते: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्यापाद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

• तेन: by that (one/means)
• तेन: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; demonstrative-instrumental

• शक्रः: Indra (Śakra)
• शक्रः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: कर्ता (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मदगर्वितः: proud with intoxication/arrogance
• मदगर्वितः: कर्ता (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद (प्रातिपदिक) + गर्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √गर्व्/गर्व्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying शक्रः); समासः—षष्ठी/तत्पुरुषार्थः ‘मदेन गर्वितः’

• मखमाहात्म्यसंपन्नः: endowed with the glory of the sacrifice
• मखमाहात्म्यसंपन्नः: कर्ता (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मख (प्रातिपदिक) + माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक) + संपन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √पद्/√पन् with सम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying शक्रः); समासः—तत्पुरुषः ‘मखस्य माहात्म्येन संपन्नः/युक्तः’

• स्वल्पबुद्धिपरः: of little intelligence
• स्वल्पबुद्धिपरः: कर्ता (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying क्रमः); समासः—तत्पुरुषः ‘स्वल्पा बुद्धिः यस्य सः/स्वल्पबुद्धौ परः’ (sense: of little understanding)

• क्रमः: conduct/behavior
• क्रमः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Vālakhilya Munis (continuation of mantra-intention)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A council-like moment: sages or ritualists pronounce a stern resolve against Indra’s intoxicated pride; Indra is shown with regal ornaments yet shadowed by impending doom, while the sacrificial aura (yajña-tejas) glows behind the speakers.

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Makha/Yajña (sacrificial rite)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Association with sacred rites is not enough—without humility and right discernment, even the exalted fall from dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse stresses the moral dimension of yajña-related greatness (makha-māhātmya).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No step-by-step rite is detailed; it continues the resolve of a mantra-prayoga aimed at removing an unworthy Indra.