Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

यजमानहितार्थाय सर्वपापविशुद्धये । अज्ञानाज्ज्ञानतो वापि कुतांबूलं प्रभक्षितम्

Transliteration

yajamānahitārthāya sarvapāpaviśuddhaye | ajñānājjñānato vāpi kutāṃbūlaṃ prabhakṣitam

Translation

யஜமானரின் நலனுக்காகவும், எல்லாப் பாவங்களின் சுத்திக்காகவும்—அறியாமையாலோ அறிந்தேனோ—அசுத்த/விலக்கப்பட்ட தாம்பூலம் உண்டாயிற்று.

Word by Word

• yajamāna: of the sacrificer (patron)
• yajamāna: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajamāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे (हितार्थाय इत्यत्र सम्बन्धः), एकवचन (contextual genitive relation implied)

• hita-arthāya: for the benefit/purpose
• hita-arthāya: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hita (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदानार्थे (for the sake of)

• sarva-pāpa-viśuddhaye: for the purification of all sins
• sarva-pāpa-viśuddhaye: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + viśuddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for purification)

• ajñānāt: from ignorance
• ajñānāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेतौ (cause: from ignorance)

• jñānataḥ: knowingly / from knowledge
• jñānataḥ: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी) अर्थे अव्ययीभाववत् तद्धितान्त-तस् (तसिल्); हेतौ (from knowledge/knowingly)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also/even)

• ku-tāṃbūlam: bad/impure betel (tāmbūla)
• ku-tāṃbūlam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ku (उपसर्ग/निन्दार्थ-पूर्वपद) + tāṃbūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• prabhakṣitam: has been eaten
• prabhakṣitam: Kriya (Predicate participle/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√bhakṣ (भक्ष् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे ‘भक्षितम्’ (eaten)

Speaker

Brāhmaṇa (mantra-text spoken during acceptance)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa / mahārāja (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual setting where a patron (yajamāna) seeks purification; a priestly figure indicates a corrective rite involving tāmbūla, emphasizing cleansing of sin and restoration of auspiciousness.

Characters & Entities

• Yajamāna
• Tāmbūla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when faults occur knowingly or unknowingly, dharma provides purificatory means oriented to welfare and inner cleansing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named in this mantra-line; it supports the chapter’s broader māhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A mantra is recited explicitly for the yajamāna’s welfare and total purification connected to the fault of consuming improper tāmbūla.