Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

प्रक्षीणचन्द्रलेखेव मृगीव मृगवर्जिता । सेनेव हतभूपाला सतीव गतभर्तृका

Transliteration

prakṣīṇacandralekheva mṛgīva mṛgavarjitā | seneva hatabhūpālā satīva gatabhartṛkā

Translation

ସେ କ୍ଷୀଣ ଚନ୍ଦ୍ରକଳା ପରି, ମୃଗବିହୀନ ମୃଗୀ ପରି; ରାଜା ହତ ହୋଇଥିବା ସେନା ପରି, ଭର୍ତ୍ତାହୀନ ସତୀ ପରି ଦେଖାଗଲା।

Word by Word

• प्रक्षीणचन्द्रलेखा: a waning moon-crescent
• प्रक्षीणचन्द्रलेखा: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रक्षीण (कृदन्त; √क्षि) + चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + लेखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (waned moon-line/crescent)

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय

• मृगी: a doe
• मृगी: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृगी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय

• मृगवर्जिता: devoid of deer
• मृगवर्जिता: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्जित (कृदन्त; √वर्ज्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष (devoid of deer)

• सेना: an army
• सेना: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय

• हतभूपाला: whose kings are slain
• हतभूपाला: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत (कृदन्त; √हन्) + भूपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुवचनार्थ-सम्बन्धे षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (whose kings are slain)

• सती: a faithful wife
• सती: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय

• गतभर्तृका: whose husband is gone
• गतभर्तृका: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत (कृदन्त; √गम्) + भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (whose husband is gone)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa continuing the narrative)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tableau of decline: a thin crescent moon above; a lone doe looking back into an empty forest; scattered soldiers with fallen banner; a chaste woman in widow-like stillness—these symbolic scenes mirror the heroine’s fading strength.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Separation from one’s sustaining refuge (protector, beloved, or dharma-support) is portrayed as a profound inner loss, preparing the listener for the restoration that sacred action and right counsel can bring.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is descriptive and does not name a tīrtha directly; it functions as narrative setup within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated in this verse.