Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

न सूक्ष्ममपि संप्राप्तं छिद्रं तेन दुरात्मना । वसिष्ठविहिता रक्षा सत्रे तस्य महीपतेः

Transliteration

na sūkṣmamapi saṃprāptaṃ chidraṃ tena durātmanā | vasiṣṭhavihitā rakṣā satre tasya mahīpateḥ

Translation

แม้เพียงช่องโหว่ละเอียดที่สุดก็หาไม่พบโดยผู้มีใจชั่วนั้น เพราะการคุ้มครองที่วสิษฐะทรงกำหนดไว้ได้พิทักษ์สัตรยัญญะของพระมหากษัตริย์ไว้

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपातः (negation particle)

• सूक्ष्मम्: even subtle
• सूक्ष्मम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (छिद्रम्)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (particle: even/also)

• संप्राप्तम्: was obtained/found
• संप्राप्तम्: Kriya (Predicative participle/कृदन्त-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘प्राप्तम्’ = obtained/found

• छिद्रम्: a flaw
• छिद्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Agent-instrumental/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दुरात्मना: by the wicked one
• दुरात्मना: Karana (Instrumental/तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुरात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; विशेषणवत् (तेन इत्यस्य)

• वसिष्ठविहिता: ordained by Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठविहिता: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वसिष्ठ + विहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (रक्षा); समासः: तत्पुरुष (वसिष्ठेन विहिता)

• रक्षा: protection, safeguard
• रक्षा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• सत्रे: in the sacrificial session
• सत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महीपतेः: of the king
• महीपतेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vasiṣṭha stands near the yajña-fire, right hand raised in blessing; a luminous protective circle surrounds the satra. The rākṣasa recoils, unable to detect any breach.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Mahīpati (king)
• Durātman (unspecified antagonist)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A rite performed under the guidance of a realized ṛṣi is shielded; spiritual authority protects dharma from corruption.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Tīrthamāhātmya section is the setting; this verse itself focuses on yajña-protection rather than naming a tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Rakṣā (protective safeguarding) instituted by Vasiṣṭha for the satra.