Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

न ददौ स तदा विप्रः साम्ना दानेन वा पुनः । भेदेन च ततो दण्डं योजयामास वै नृपः

Transliteration

na dadau sa tadā vipraḥ sāmnā dānena vā punaḥ | bhedena ca tato daṇḍaṃ yojayāmāsa vai nṛpaḥ

Translation

तेव्हा त्या ब्राह्मणाने ना सामाने, ना दानाने—कशानेही ती दिली नाही. म्हणून राजाने भेद व दंड यांचा आश्रय घेऊन बलपूर्वक दंड लावण्यास सुरुवात केली.

Word by Word

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

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• विप्रः: the Brahmin
• विप्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• साम्ना: by conciliation
• साम्ना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (साम = सामोपायः/conciliation)

• दानेन: by gift/bribe
• दानेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• पुनः: again, further
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति/पुनरावृत्ति-बोधक अव्यय (again/further)

• भेदेन: by division/dissension
• भेदेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (भेदोपायः = dissension)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय

• ततः: thereupon
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तस्मात्/ततः—अपादान/क्रमसूचक अव्यय (thereupon/from that)

• दण्डम्: punishment
• दण्डम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• योजयामास: imposed/applied
• योजयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) (योजयति)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice within Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vasiṣṭhāśrama (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vasiṣṭha stands firm, refusing to part with Nandinī; Viśvāmitra’s posture hardens as he orders coercion—soldiers step forward, tension crackles in the tranquil hermitage.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Bhūpāla (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When desire overrides dharma, authority turns into coercion; Purāṇic narratives warn that force used against the righteous rebounds as adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is within a Nāgara Khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya chapter; the site name is not present in this excerpt.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse contrasts political tactics (conciliation, gifts, coercion) rather than prescribing a rite.