Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

वेदनार्त्तोज्ज्वलवपुर्महाशापाभिभूतधीः । तं तथा पतितं दृष्ट्वा त आजग्मुर्महर्षयः

Transliteration

vedanārttojjvalavapurmahāśāpābhibhūtadhīḥ | taṃ tathā patitaṃ dṛṣṭvā ta ājagmurmaharṣayaḥ

Translation

वेदनार्त्तोज्ज्वलवपुः महाशापाभिभूतधीः। तं तथा पतितं दृष्ट्वा तत्राजग्मुर्महर्षयः॥

Word by Word

• वेदनार्त्तोज्ज्वलवपुः: whose body was bright yet pained by agony
• वेदनार्त्तोज्ज्वलवपुः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेदना (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक) + उज्ज्वल (प्रातिपदिक) + वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्य वपुः वेदनया आर्तं उज्ज्वलं च)

• महाशापाभिभूतधीः: whose mind was overwhelmed by a great curse
• महाशापाभिभूतधीः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाशाप (महा + शाप) + अभि-भूत (कृदन्त-क्त from भू with अभि) + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्य धीः महाशापेन अभिभूता)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तथा: thus/in that state
• तथा: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in that manner)

• पतितम्: fallen
• पतितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (past participle) ‘पतित’; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (तम् इति)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive); धातु: दृश्

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• आजग्मुः: came
• आजग्मुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: आ

• महर्षयः: great sages
• महर्षयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in a māhātmya frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A blazing-bodied figure writhes in pain under a great curse; from the horizon, austere sages with matted hair and waterpots hurry toward him, faces filled with concern.

Characters & Entities

• Maharṣis (great sages)
• Maheśvara (implied in context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even exalted beings may appear afflicted due to the force of destiny/curse, prompting sages to respond with concern and dharmic action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within a Tīrthamāhātmya context of the Nāgarakhaṇḍa, but this single shloka does not name a specific tīrtha explicitly.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated in this verse.