Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

विश्वामित्र उवाच । एषा पुण्यतमा मेध्या नागवल्ली नराधिप । अयथावत्कृता वक्त्रे बहून्दोषान्प्रयच्छति । तस्माद्यत्नेन संभक्ष्या दत्त्वा चैव स्वशक्तितः

Transliteration

viśvāmitra uvāca | eṣā puṇyatamā medhyā nāgavallī narādhipa | ayathāvatkṛtā vaktre bahūndoṣānprayacchati | tasmādyatnena saṃbhakṣyā dattvā caiva svaśaktitaḥ

Translation

วิศวามิตรกล่าวว่า: ข้าแต่มหาราช นาควลลีนี้เป็นของมีบุญยิ่งและชำระให้บริสุทธิ์ หากเตรียมไม่ถูกต้องแล้วนำเข้าปาก ย่อมก่อโทษมากมาย ดังนั้นพึงเคี้ยวด้วยความระมัดระวัง และพึงถวายทานตามกำลังของตน

Word by Word

• विश्वामित्रः: Viśvāmitra
• विश्वामित्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वामित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एषा: this
• एषा: Visheshana (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निर्देशवाचक

• पुण्यतमा: most meritorious
• पुण्यतमा: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तमप्-प्रत्यय (superlative)

• मेध्या: purifying/fit for ritual
• मेध्या: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नागवल्ली: betel vine/leaf (nāgavallī)
• नागवल्ली: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नागवल्ली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नराधिप: O king (lord of men)
• नराधिप: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप (प्रातिपदिक; नर + अधिप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (नराणाम् अधिपः)

• अयथावत्: improperly
• अयथावत्: Kriya-visheshana (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अयथावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: improperly)

• कृता: prepared/made
• कृता: Kriya (predicate qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: PPP, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नागवल्ली-विशेषणरूपेण

• वक्त्रे: in the mouth
• वक्त्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• बहून्: many
• बहून्: Visheshana (of doṣān)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• दोषान्: faults/defects
• दोषान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• प्रयच्छति: gives/causes
• प्रयच्छति: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति निपातवत् (indeclinable usage: therefore/from that reason)

• यत्नेन: with effort/care
• यत्नेन: Karana (means: with effort)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• संभक्ष्या: should be eaten/consumed properly
• संभक्ष्या: Vidhi (injunctive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + भक्ष् (धातु) → संभक्ष्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्/य-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: ought to be eaten), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• च: and
• च: Sambandha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• स्वशक्तितः: according to one’s own ability
• स्वशक्तितः: Kriya-visheshana (manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वशक्ति (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + शक्ति)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: according to/from one's capacity); समासः—तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य शक्तिः)

Speaker

Viśvāmitra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ānarta (nṛpati)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viśvāmitra instructs the king: nāgavallī is purifying and meritorious, but improper preparation causes faults; therefore chew carefully and give charity as able.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Ānarta
• nāgavallī (tāmbūla)
• dāna (charity, implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even sacred, purifying substances require correct method; dharma lies in right procedure and responsible conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching occurs within the Śaṃkhatīrtha-māhātmya narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Chew/consume nāgavallī only when properly prepared, and accompany rectification with dāna according to one’s means.