Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

दीर्घिकोवाच । न मया त्वं महाभाग निद्रोपहतया दृशा । दृष्टस्तेन परिस्पृष्टो ह्यस्पृश्यः पापकृत्तमः

Transliteration

dīrghikovāca | na mayā tvaṃ mahābhāga nidropahatayā dṛśā | dṛṣṭastena parispṛṣṭo hyaspṛśyaḥ pāpakṛttamaḥ

Translation

தீர்கிகா கூறினாள்—ஓ மகாபாக! நித்திரையால் மங்கிய என் பார்வையில் உம்மை நான் காணவில்லை; ஆகவே அந்த மிகப் பாவியான அஸ்ப்ருஷ்யன் உம்மைத் தொட்டான்.

Word by Word

• dīrghikā: Dīrghikā
• dīrghikā: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dīrghikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; वक्तृ-नाम

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपातः (negation)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम (Instrumental singular)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम (Accusative singular)

• mahābhāga: O fortunate one
• mahābhāga: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः (महान् भागः यस्य/महाभागः); सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः), एकवचनम्, पुंलिङ्गम्

• nidropahatayā: by a sleep-overpowered
• nidropahatayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nidrā (प्रातिपदिक) + upahata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (निद्रया उपहतः → निद्रोपहत); स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘by sleep-overpowered’

• dṛśā: with (my) sight
• dṛśā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dṛś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular); ‘with (my) sight/eye’

• dṛṣṭaḥ: seen
• dṛṣṭaḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; ‘seen’

• tena: by that (act) / by him
• tena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम (by that/by him)

• parispṛṣṭaḥ: touched
• parispṛṣṭaḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√spṛś (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्; ‘touched all over/defiled by touch’

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थक-निपातः (indeed/for)

• aspṛśyaḥ: untouchable
• aspṛśyaḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + spṛśya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; नञ्-तद्धित/कृदन्ताधारित विशेषणम् (untouchable)

• pāpakṛttamaḥ: the greatest sinner
• pāpakṛttamaḥ: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛt (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + tamaP (तमप्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (पापं करोति → पापकृत्); तमप्-प्रत्ययेन अतिशयः; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-एकवचनम्

Speaker

Dīrghikā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dīrghikā speaks with folded hands or a contrite gesture, eyes heavy with sleep; nearby, a shadowy figure or implied ‘untouchable’ presence heightens tension.

Characters & Entities

• Dīrghikā
• Māṇḍavya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It underscores intention versus accident: moral judgment becomes complicated when harm occurs without awareness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The exchange is embedded in the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra narrative frame of the Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed; the verse discusses purity/impurity language as part of the story’s social-moral setting.