Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

पौत्रोऽहं तव देवेश पुलस्त्यस्य सुतो द्विजः । नीतो राक्षसतामद्य प्रस्थात्रा कोपतो विभो

Transliteration

pautro'haṃ tava deveśa pulastyasya suto dvijaḥ | nīto rākṣasatāmadya prasthātrā kopato vibho

Translation

“Wahai Tuhan para dewa, aku ini cucumu—anak Pulastya, seorang brāhmaṇa. Pada hari ini, kerana murka Prasthātṛ, aku telah didorong ke keadaan rākṣasa, wahai Yang Maha Perkasa.”

Word by Word

• पौत्रः: grandson
• पौत्रः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• देवेश: O Lord of gods
• देवेश: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: देव-ईश (देवानाम् ईशः); पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• पुलस्त्यस्य: of Pulastya
• पुलस्त्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुलस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सुतः: son
• सुतः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• द्विजः: a brāhmaṇa / twice-born
• द्विजः: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नीतः: (I was) led
• नीतः: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगभाव (having been led)

• राक्षसताम्: into demonhood
• राक्षसताम्: Gati/Parinama (Result state)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षसता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (गन्तव्य/परिणाम-भाव)

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Kala (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time: today/now)

• प्रस्थात्रा: by the one who set out (the traveler)
• प्रस्थात्रा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रस्थातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• कोपतः: from anger, due to anger
• कोपतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (हेतौ)

• विभो: O mighty one
• विभो: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

The afflicted brāhmaṇa (Pulastya’s son; speaking to Pitāmaha)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The supplicant points to himself in confession, then gestures toward Brahmā in appeal, describing his lineage and the curse/wrath that made him rākṣasa-like.

Characters & Entities

• Pulastya
• Prasthātṛ
• Pitāmaha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even noble birth does not shield one from karmic consequence; dharma is preserved through accountability and corrective action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits inside a tīrtha-glorification chapter, but this line itself does not name the site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is stated; the verse introduces the cause (anger/curse) behind the transformation.