Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

सिंहान्व्याघ्रान्वृकांश्चैव हिंसानारण्यचारिणः । तथान्यानपि मध्याह्ने तेन मार्गेण संगतः

Transliteration

siṃhānvyāghrānvṛkāṃścaiva hiṃsānāraṇyacāriṇaḥ | tathānyānapi madhyāhne tena mārgeṇa saṃgataḥ

Translation

सिंहान् व्याघ्रान् वृकांश्चैव हिंसान् आरण्यचारिणः । तथान्यानपि मध्याह्ने तेन मार्गेण सङ्गतः ॥

Word by Word

• सिंहान्: lions
• सिंहान्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• व्याघ्रान्: tigers
• व्याघ्रान्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वृकान्: wolves
• वृकान्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• एव: indeed
• एव: निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• हिंसान्: harmful (beasts)
• हिंसान्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• आरण्यचारिणः: forest-roaming
• आरण्यचारिणः: कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आरण्य + चारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (अरण्ये चरन्ति ये) विशेषण (to हिंसान्)

• तथा: also
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकार (also/likewise)

• अन्यान्: other (animals)
• अन्यान्: कर्म
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (to implied पशून्/मृगान्)

• अपि: also
• अपि: निपात
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (also/even)

• मध्याह्ने: at midday
• मध्याह्ने: अधिकरण (Time-locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्याह्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• तेन: by that; through that
• तेन: करण (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• मार्गेण: by the path; along the route
• मार्गेण: करण (Instrumental: by the path/route)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संगतः: met; encountered; came upon
• संगतः: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘met/encountered/come together’

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sun-blazed midday forest path: the king and retinue move cautiously as lions, tigers, and wolves appear at the edges—eyes gleaming from thickets—creating a tense corridor toward the unseen holy water.

Characters & Entities

• Lions
• Tigers
• Wolves

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The path to sanctity may pass through fear and hardship; perseverance leads to the refuge of the tīrtha and the guidance of sages.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the approach-to-tīrtha atmosphere within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya, without naming the site in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive narrative setting up the king’s arrival at the waters.