Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 163

Devanagari script

मम वाक्यादपि प्राप्य एते लक्ष्मीं द्विजोत्तमाः । निर्धनाः संभविष्यंति नीत्वा यद्द्वारतो ऽखिलम्

Transliteration

mama vākyādapi prāpya ete lakṣmīṃ dvijottamāḥ | nirdhanāḥ saṃbhaviṣyaṃti nītvā yaddvārato 'khilam

Translation

माझ्या वचनानेच लक्ष्मी मिळवूनही हे उत्तम ब्राह्मण, दाराशी आलेले सर्व काही उचलून नेऊन, शेवटी निर्धन होतील.

Word by Word

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वाक्यात्: from (my) word/command
• वाक्यात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि = even/also

• प्राप्य: having obtained
• प्राप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘having obtained’

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• लक्ष्मीम्: prosperity/fortune
• लक्ष्मीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• द्विजोत्तमाः: excellent Brahmins
• द्विजोत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (best of Brahmins); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• निर्धनाः: poor, without wealth
• निर्धनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• संभविष्यन्ति: will become
• संभविष्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• नीत्वा: having taken away
• नीत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नी (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘having taken away/led away’

• यत्: which/whatever
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रयोगः (relative pronoun)

• द्वारतः: from the door/gate
• द्वारतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; ‘द्वारतः’ = from the door/gate

• अखिलम्: all, entire
• अखिलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Indra (Pākaśāsana) (deduced from context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra pronounces the curse; behind the brāhmaṇas, symbols of wealth (grain, vessels, cloth) appear as if being carried away, while their future is shown as empty hands and a barren threshold.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Lakṣmī (as prosperity/fortune)
• Brāhmaṇas (dvijottama)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Prosperity without gratitude and restraint collapses; dharma sustains Lakṣmī, while moral breach causes decline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is named in this verse; it continues the ethical narrative within the tīrtha section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse states the result of a curse affecting wealth.