Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

अथ सा भृत्यवर्गेण नीयमाना च नंदिनी । हन्यमाना प्रहारैश्च पाषाणैर्लकुटैरपि

Transliteration

atha sā bhṛtyavargeṇa nīyamānā ca naṃdinī | hanyamānā prahāraiśca pāṣāṇairlakuṭairapi

Translation

Kemudian Nandinī, ketika diseret oleh kumpulan hamba, dipukul dengan hentakan-hentakan—bahkan dipukul dengan batu dan belantan.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भ/अनन्तरार्थक (then/now)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भृत्यवर्गेण: by the group of servants
• भृत्यवर्गेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य + वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भृत्यानां वर्गः); करण/कर्तृकरण (by the group of servants)

• नीयमाना: being led away
• नीयमाना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि-प्रयोगे शानच्/मान-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (being led)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• नन्दिनी: Nandinī
• नन्दिनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नाम

• हन्यमाना: being beaten
• हन्यमाना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि-प्रयोगे शानच्/मान-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (being struck)

• प्रहारैः: with blows
• प्रहारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करण

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• पाषाणैः: with stones
• पाषाणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाषाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करण

• लकुटैः: with clubs
• लकुटैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लकुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करण

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also/even)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Servants drag Nandinī by ropes; stones and clubs are raised; the cow’s divine radiance contrasts with the brutality, while the hermitage background witnesses the violation.

Characters & Entities

• Nandinī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Harming the innocent—especially what is revered as sacred—signals adharma and becomes the seed of downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse; it is part of the moral narrative within Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.