Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 164

Devanagari script

सोऽब्रवीत्साहसं कृत्वा सर्वानेव द्द्विजोत्तमान् । प्रतिगृह्णाम्यहं कामं तप्तमाषकमेव च

Transliteration

so'bravītsāhasaṃ kṛtvā sarvāneva ddvijottamān | pratigṛhṇāmyahaṃ kāmaṃ taptamāṣakameva ca

Translation

అప్పుడు అతడు ధైర్యం చేసి ఆ సమస్త ద్విజోత్తముల ఎదుట ఇలా అన్నాడు—“నేను స్వీకరిస్తాను; నా ఇష్టానుసారం తప్త మాషకము (వేడిన నాణెం) కూడా.”

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• abravīt: said
• abravīt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• sāhasam: a rash act/violence
• sāhasam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāhasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Kriya (Prior action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive); ‘having done’

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; dvijottamān इति विशेषण

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (indeed)

• dvija-uttamān: the best Brahmins
• dvija-uttamān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (द्विजानाम् उत्तमाः = best of Brahmins); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• pratigṛhṇāmi: I accept
• pratigṛhṇāmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√grah (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kāmam: willingly
• kāmam: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोग (कāmam = willingly/at will; adverbial accusative)

• tapta-māṣakam: a heated māṣaka coin
• tapta-māṣakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapta (√tap + kta) + māṣaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (तप्तः māṣakaḥ = heated coin); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (only/indeed)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

Speaker

The pilgrim/unknown man

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Before a gathered council of brāhmaṇas, the man steels himself and declares readiness to accept the ordeal—symbolized by a heated māṣaka (coin/metal piece) test—signaling resolve to be purified.

Characters & Entities

• dvija
• Brāhmaṇa
• taptamāṣaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True repentance and the desire for purity may require courageous acceptance of demanding dharmic tests.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative remains within a tīrtha setting, but this verse focuses on the acceptance of an ordeal rather than naming the site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Acceptance of a ‘taptamāṣaka’ (heated metal/coin) ordeal is referenced as part of a śuddhi-related test.