Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 108

Devanagari script

उलूका राक्षसाश्चौराः कामिनः कुलटांऽगनाः । यां वांछंति सदा सोत्काः सुवृष्टिमिव कर्षुकाः

Transliteration

ulūkā rākṣasāścaurāḥ kāminaḥ kulaṭāṃ'ganāḥ | yāṃ vāṃchaṃti sadā sotkāḥ suvṛṣṭimiva karṣukāḥ

Translation

గుడ్లగూబలు, రాక్షసులు, దొంగలు, కాముకులు, కులట స్త్రీలు ఆ (రాత్రి)ని ఎల్లప్పుడూ ఉత్సుకతతో కోరుతారు—రైతులు సువృష్టిని కోరినట్లే।

Word by Word

• उलूकाः: owls
• उलूकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उलूक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• राक्षसाः: demons
• राक्षसाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• चौराः: thieves
• चौराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• कामिनः: lustful men
• कामिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• कुलटाः: unchaste women
• कुलटाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुलटा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• अङ्गनाः: women
• अङ्गनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• याम्: whom/which (that)
• याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• वाञ्छन्ति: desire
• वाञ्छन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वाञ्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• सोत्काः: eager/longing
• सोत्काः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + उत्क (प्रातिपदिक); ‘उत्क’ = उत्कण्ठित/उत्सुक (sense)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the subjects)

• सुवृष्टिम्: good rainfall
• सुवृष्टिम्: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपमान (object of comparison)

• इव: like
• इव: Upama-dyotaka (Comparator/उपमाद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• कर्षुकाः: ploughmen/farmers
• कर्षुकाः: Upameya (Compared entity/उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्षुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; उपमेय (that which is compared)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa style narration within Māhātmya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moonlit night at the edge of a forest-road: owls on branches, shadowy rākṣasas and thieves lurking, lust-driven figures moving toward rendezvous; in the distance, farmers gaze at clouds, longing for rain—used as a striking simile for yearning.

Characters & Entities

• ulūka (owl)
• rākṣasa
• caura (thief)
• kāmī (lustful man)
• kulaṭā (wanton woman)
• karṣuka (farmer)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharmic tendencies seek darkness; the dhārmika should stay vigilant and anchored in restraint and right conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse does not name a particular tīrtha; it frames ethical atmosphere within the broader Tīrthamāhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed; it functions as a cautionary depiction of who thrives in the night.