Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

एतस्मिन्नेव काले तु विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः । चर्मास्थिशेषसर्वांगो बुभुक्षार्त इतस्ततः

Transliteration

etasminneva kāle tu viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ | carmāsthiśeṣasarvāṃgo bubhukṣārta itastataḥ

Translation

ആ സമയത്ത്, ശരീരം വെറും തോലും എല്ലുമായി മാറിയ മഹാമുനിയായ വിശ്വാമിത്രൻ വിശപ്പുകൊണ്ട് വലഞ്ഞ് അങ്ങുമിങ്ങും അലഞ്ഞുനടന്നു.

Word by Word

• एतस्मिन्: in this
• एतस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-शब्दः (demonstrative pronoun)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• काले: at the time
• काले: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• तु: but/and then
• तु: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (adversative/contrast particle)

• विश्वामित्रः: Viśvāmitra
• विश्वामित्रः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वामित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• महामुनिः: the great sage
• महामुनिः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—महान् + मुनिः (विशेषण-विशेष्यभावः)

• चर्मास्थिशेषसर्वाङ्गः: whose whole body was only skin and bones
• चर्मास्थिशेषसर्वाङ्गः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर्म + अस्थि + शेष + सर्व + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—यस्य सर्वाङ्गं चर्म-अस्थि-शेषमात्रम् (whose whole body is only skin-and-bone remnants)

• बुभुक्षार्तः: distressed by hunger
• बुभुक्षार्तः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुभुक्षा (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—बुभुक्षया आर्तः (afflicted by hunger)

• इतस्: from here
• इतस्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• ततः: from there/thereafter
• ततः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narration style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Emaciated Viśvāmitra, skin-and-bone, wandering under harsh light, eyes sunken yet resolute; a desolate landscape foreshadowing a grim settlement.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even great sages face extreme trials; the Purāṇa uses such tests to highlight endurance, humility, and the deeper search for dharmic refuge.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it introduces Viśvāmitra’s movement within the chapter’s tīrtha-centered storyline.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates Viśvāmitra’s condition and wandering.