Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अज्ञानाद्यन्मया देवि कृतः कोपस्तवोपरि । मर्षणीयस्तथा सोऽद्य दीनस्य प्रणतस्य च

Transliteration

ajñānādyanmayā devi kṛtaḥ kopastavopari | marṣaṇīyastathā so'dya dīnasya praṇatasya ca

Translation

Ó Deusa, a ira que manifestei contra ti por ignorância—que hoje seja perdoada; pois sou miserável e, prostrado, rendo-me em entrega.

Word by Word

• अज्ञानात्: from ignorance
• अज्ञानात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; (Ablative singular: ‘from ignorance’)

• यत्: which (that)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (relative pronoun: ‘which/that’)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया, एकवचन; (Instrumental singular: ‘by me’)

• देवि: O Goddess
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• कृतः: done, committed
• कृतः: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; (PPP agreeing with कोपः)

• कोपः: anger
• कोपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• उपरि: upon, against
• उपरि: Adhikarana (Locus)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश/अधिकरणवाचक (preposition/adverb: ‘upon/against’)

• मर्षणीयः: forgivable, to be pardoned
• मर्षणीयः: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृष् (धातु) + अनीयर् (कृत्) → मर्षणीय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: ‘to be forgiven/endured’); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; (predicate of सः/कोपः)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: ‘thus/so’)

• सः: it/he (that)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अद्य: now, today
• अद्य: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb: ‘today/now’)

• दीनस्य: of (me) the wretched
• दीनस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन; (Genitive singular; dependent on implied ‘me’)

• प्रणतस्य: of (me) the bowed/surrendered
• प्रणतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रणत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √नम् + क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP: ‘bowed’); पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन; (Genitive singular; dependent on implied ‘me’)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

Speaker

Dānavādhipa (Andhaka, by context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A poignant surrender: the Dānava, once wrathful, bows low before Devī, hands folded, eyes downcast; the Goddess’ expression is compassionate, signaling forgiveness.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Andhaka (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual progress begins with humility—confessing ignorance and seeking forgiveness through surrender.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The context is Kelīśvarī Devī’s tīrtha where repentance and renewed devotion are portrayed as effective.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Praṇāma (bowing/surrender) and seeking kṣamā (forgiveness) as part of Devī worship.