Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 99

Devanagari script

नकुलोऽसीति मामाह भवांस्तस्मात्कुलाधमः । शीघ्रमुत्पत्स्यसे मोहात्त्वमेव नकुलो मुने

Transliteration

nakulo'sīti māmāha bhavāṃstasmātkulādhamaḥ | śīghramutpatsyase mohāttvameva nakulo mune

Translation

நீ என்னை ‘நகுலன்’ என்று அழைத்தாய்; ஆகவே நீ குலத்திற்குக் களங்கம். மயக்கத்தால் நீ விரைவில் பிறப்பெடுப்பாய்—முனியே, நீயே நகுலம் (கீரிப்பிள்ளை) ஆகுவாய்.

Word by Word

• nakulaḥ: a mongoose
• nakulaḥ: Pratijñā (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• asi: you are
• asi: Kriyā (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (निपात)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• āha: said
• āha: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• bhavān: you (honorific)
• bhavān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; आदरार्थ-प्रयोग (honorific ‘you’)

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्धाव्यय (therefore), Ablative sense

• kulādhamaḥ: the lowest of the family
• kulādhamaḥ: Pratijñā (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kula (प्रातिपदिक) + adhama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘kulasya adhamaḥ’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicate noun

• śīghram: quickly
• śīghram: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śīghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• utpatsyase: you will fly up / spring forth
• utpatsyase: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ut+pat (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• mohāt: from delusion
• mohāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: moha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• eva: indeed, only
• eva: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (निपात)
• Form: निपात (restrictive/emphatic particle)

• nakulaḥ: a mongoose
• nakulaḥ: Pratijñā (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicate noun

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Nakula

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The speaker pronounces a specific curse: the offender will be born as a nakula (mongoose). The moment is dramatic—words crystallize into fate; a faint visionary overlay hints at the future animal form.

Characters & Entities

• Nakula
• Śāpa (implied curse)
• Nakula (mongoose)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Insult and delusion can lead to severe karmic repercussions, including loss of status and adverse rebirth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse focuses on a curse episode within the storyline.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is narrative (a spoken curse) rather than a ritual injunction.