Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

ततोऽसौ शिरसा जात उत्क्लेशान्मत्स्ययोजितः । ततो हि विकृतं वक्त्रं क्षणाद्बहिरुपागतः

Transliteration

tato'sau śirasā jāta utkleśānmatsyayojitaḥ | tato hi vikṛtaṃ vaktraṃ kṣaṇādbahirupāgataḥ

Translation

แล้วเขาก็โผล่ออกมาทางศีรษะก่อน ด้วยความทุกข์ระทม ถูกกักรัดอยู่ในท้องปลา ครู่เดียวก็ออกมาได้—ใบหน้าบิดเบี้ยวผิดรูปเพราะความทรมานนั้น

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; तदनन्तरार्थक (then/thereupon)

• असौ: that one/he
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, सर्वनाम

• शिरसा: with (his) head
• शिरसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जातः: became/was born
• जातः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उत्क्लेशात्: from distress/agitation
• उत्क्लेशात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्क्लेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• मत्स्य-योजितः: made into/connected with a fish
• मत्स्य-योजितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्स्य (प्रातिपदिक) + योजित (कृदन्त; √युज् + णिच् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (मत्स्येण/मत्स्यत्वेन योजितः—‘joined/turned into a fish’)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; तदनन्तरार्थक

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/कारणार्थक-अव्यय (indeed/for)

• विकृतम्: deformed/changed
• विकृतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + कृ (धातु) → विकृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• वक्त्रम्: face/mouth
• वक्त्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• क्षणात्: in a moment/from a moment
• क्षणात्: Apadana (Source/Time-from/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; देशवाचक

• उपागतः: came/approached
• उपागतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + गम् (धातु) → उपागत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; continuing the story after Śiva’s instruction)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A man emerges headfirst from the mouth/belly of a huge fish, visibly shaken; his face appears distorted from suffocation and struggle, while the surrounding waters churn lightly then calm.

Characters & Entities

• fish (matsya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Hardship leaves marks, yet it can be the very passage through which providence brings one into a higher calling.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it remains within the broader tīrtha-glorification chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive narrative.