Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

राजगामि च पैशुन्यं यैः कृतं सुदुरात्मभिः । अमेध्यपूर्णवक्त्रास्ते धार्यंतेऽत्र नराधमाः

Transliteration

rājagāmi ca paiśunyaṃ yaiḥ kṛtaṃ sudurātmabhiḥ | amedhyapūrṇavaktrāste dhāryaṃte'tra narādhamāḥ

Translation

ଯେ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଦୁଷ୍ଟମାନେ ରାଜା ପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ପହଞ୍ଚୁଥିବା ଚୁଗୁଲି‑ନିନ୍ଦା କରିଛନ୍ତି, ସେ ନରାଧମମାନେ ଏଠାରେ ଅପବିତ୍ରତାରେ ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ମୁଖ ସହ ବନ୍ଧିତ ରହନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• राजगामि: (about) the king / going to the king (i.e., concerning the king)
• राजगामि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राज (प्रातिपदिक) + गामिन् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √गम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (paiśunyam इति विशेष्यस्य) — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; adjective

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पैशुन्यम्: slander, malicious tale-bearing
• पैशुन्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पैशुन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• यैः: by whom
• यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्यतः), तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; relative pronoun

• कृतम्: done, committed
• कृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘कृतम्’ — Past passive participle; Neuter, Singular

• सुदुरात्मभिः: by very wicked persons
• सुदुरात्मभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दुरात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; विशेषणयुक्त-समास

• अमेध्यपूर्णवक्त्राः: having mouths filled with filth/impurity
• अमेध्यपूर्णवक्त्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमेध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेषणवत् — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; adjectival compound

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; pronoun

• धार्यन्ते: are kept/held
• धार्यन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि/मध्यस्थ-प्रयोगः — Present, 3rd person plural, Ātmanepada; ‘are held/kept’

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• नराधमाः: the vilest of men
• नराधमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक) + अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgara Khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grim naraka scene: low men who carried slander to the king are restrained, their mouths forced open and filled with foul refuse, while Yama’s attendants stand guard; the atmosphere is dark, punitive, and didactic.

Characters & Entities

• Rājā (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Malicious speech that harms others—especially through influential channels—corrupts society and rebounds as degrading punishment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it is part of the chapter’s ethical and karmic instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the implied practice is truthful, non-harmful speech and avoidance of paiśunya.