Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

यथा च शुक ते जिह्वा कृता मंदा हविर्भुजा । तथापि भूमिपालानां शंसनीया भविष्यति

Transliteration

yathā ca śuka te jihvā kṛtā maṃdā havirbhujā | tathāpi bhūmipālānāṃ śaṃsanīyā bhaviṣyati

Translation

हे शुका! हविर्भुज अग्नीने तुझी जिव्हा जरी मंद केली असली, तरीही तू भूमिपालांमध्ये प्रशंसनीय ठरशील।

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Correlative/Comparative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक-सम्बन्धबोधक (correlative/comparative indeclinable: 'as/just as')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/particle: 'and')

• शुक: O parrot
• शुक: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-एकवचन (Vocative 1 sg)

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचन (Genitive sg)

• जिह्वा: tongue
• जिह्वा: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative sg)

• कृता: made
• कृता: Kriya (Predicate/State)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे (made/has been made)

• मन्दा: dull, slow
• मन्दा: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying 'jihvā')

• हविर्भुजा: by the oblation-eater (Agni)
• हविर्भुजा: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हविस् (प्रातिपदिक) + भुज् (धातु/प्रातिपदिक 'भुज' = eater)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/उपपद-तत्पुरुष: 'havis-bhuk' = eater of oblations); पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचन (Instrumental sg)

• तथापि: even so, nevertheless
• तथापि: Sambandha (Concessive connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय) + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्ययसमुच्चय (concessive: 'even so/however')

• भूमिपालानाम्: of kings
• भूमिपालानाम्: Sambandha (Of/for)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक) + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'earth-protector' = king); पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-बहुवचन (Genitive pl)

• शंसनीया: praiseworthy, to be commended
• शंसनीया: Kriya (Predicate quality)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शंस् (धातु) + अनीयर् (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त; अनीयर्-प्रत्यय (gerundive: 'to be praised/commended'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-एकवचन (agreeing with implied 'वाणी/कीर्ति' or as predicate)

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Devas

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Agnitīrtha

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine assembly bestows a boon upon a parrot whose tongue has been slowed by Agni; the bird is shown reverent, receiving a promise of renown among kings.

Characters & Entities

• Agni (Havir-bhuj)
• Śuka (parrot)
• Bhūmi-pāla (kings)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when a capacity is diminished, divine arrangement can still make one’s presence and expression valuable and honored in society.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The surrounding narrative belongs to the Agnitīrtha māhātmya; this verse continues the boon/curse-resolution thread connected to Agni.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse presents a divine outcome (future praise) rather than a practice.