Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

मर्त्यलोकोद्भवा पूजा नष्टा मम बृहस्पते । गौतमस्य मुनेः शापात्कस्मिंश्चित्कारणांतरे

Transliteration

martyalokodbhavā pūjā naṣṭā mama bṛhaspate | gautamasya muneḥ śāpātkasmiṃścitkāraṇāṃtare

Translation

ஓ பிருஹஸ்பதியே! மனித உலகிலிருந்து எனக்கென்று எழுந்த வழிபாடு, ஏதோ இடையூறு காரணமாக—கௌதம முனிவரின் சாபத்தால்—அழிந்துவிட்டது।

Word by Word

• martya-loka-udbhavā: arisen from the mortal world
• martya-loka-udbhavā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: martya (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक) + udbhavā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (martyalokāt udbhavā)

• pūjā: worship
• pūjā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• naṣṭā: destroyed, lost
• naṣṭā: Kriyā (Predicative/क्रियापद-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: naś (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• bṛhaspate: O Bṛhaspati
• bṛhaspate: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bṛhaspati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• gautamasya: of Gautama
• gautamasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gautama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• muneḥ: of the sage
• muneḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• śāpāt: from (his) curse
• śāpāt: Apādāna/Hetu (Source/Cause/अपादान-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• kasmiṃścit: in some (case/place)
• kasmiṃścit: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kasmin + cit (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम + निपात)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (indefinite: in some)

• kāraṇa-antare: in another cause/circumstance
• kāraṇa-antare: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (anyat kāraṇam)

Speaker

Indra (Purandara)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra laments that mortal-world worship has ceased for him; Bṛhaspati listens with grave compassion, sensing the wider cosmic consequence.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Bṛhaspati
• Gautama (sage)
• Martyaloka (human world)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine status is upheld through dharmic relation with humans; when dharma is violated, even worship and honor can be withdrawn.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named in this verse; it provides the moral-causal background for later tīrtha-centered remedy.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā is mentioned as a religious act, but no specific procedure is detailed here.