Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 120

Devanagari script

तथा त्रिभिःस्तनै रौद्रा पृष्ठ्यावर्तकसंयुता । दरिद्रोऽपि सुदुःस्थोऽपि कुलहीनोपि पार्थिव

Transliteration

tathā tribhiḥstanai raudrā pṛṣṭhyāvartakasaṃyutā | daridro'pi suduḥstho'pi kulahīnopi pārthiva

Translation

ସେହିପରି ସେ ରୌଦ୍ର ସ୍ୱଭାବିନୀ, ତ୍ରିସ୍ତନୀ ଏବଂ ପୃଷ୍ଠରେ ଆବର୍ତ୍ତ-ଚିହ୍ନଯୁକ୍ତ ଥିଲା। ହେ ରାଜନ୍, ପୁରୁଷ ଦରିଦ୍ର ହେଉ, ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଦୁଃଖିତ ହେଉ, କୁଳହୀନ ମଧ୍ୟ ହେଉ—

Word by Word

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/उपमानार्थ-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘thus/likewise’)

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (instrumental plural: ‘with/by three’)

• स्तनैः: with breasts
• स्तनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• रौद्रा: fierce, dreadful
• रौद्रा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (fem. nom. sg.)

• पृष्ठ्यावर्तकसंयुता: endowed with a back-whorl
• पृष्ठ्यावर्तकसंयुता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृष्ठ्य-आवर्तक-सम्-युत (कृदन्त; युज् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘युक्त/संयुक्त’ (past passive participle used adjectivally)

• दरिद्रः: poor
• दरिद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दरिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: ‘even/also’)

• सुदुःस्थः: very miserable
• सुदुःस्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-दुःस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• कुलहीनः: devoid of lineage
• कुलहीनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुल-हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• पार्थिव: O king
• पार्थिव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (Nāgarakhaṇḍa narrative voice; likely Sūta-like narrator addressing a kingly listener)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: pārthiva (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tense domestic scene: an ominously described maiden with three breasts and a marked back-whorl; elders and matchmakers recoil; the king is addressed as the narrator lists signs of dread.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The narrative frames bodily marks and temperament as signs considered in traditional assessments, cautioning about consequences in household life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it is part of a continuing story within Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed here; it describes ominous attributes and begins a consequential statement continued in the next verse.