Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

ततस्ते सेवकास्तस्य नृपतेश्चित्तवेदिनः । अप्राप्तशस्त्रं तं विप्रं निजघ्नुर्निशितायुधैः

Transliteration

tataste sevakāstasya nṛpateścittavedinaḥ | aprāptaśastraṃ taṃ vipraṃ nijaghnurniśitāyudhaiḥ

Translation

จากนั้น ข้าราชบริพารของกษัตริย์ผู้รู้พระทัยของเจ้านาย ก็ใช้ศาสตราวุธคมกริบสังหารพราหมณ์ผู้นั้นในขณะที่เขายังไม่มีอาวุธ

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/क्रमसूचक-अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सेवकाः: servants
• सेवकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेवक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• नृपतेः: of the king
• नृपतेः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• चित्तवेदिनः: knowers of (his) intention
• चित्तवेदिनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वेदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘चित्तं वेदन्ति’ (knowing the mind)

• अप्राप्तशस्त्रम्: unarmed
• अप्राप्तशस्त्रम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- (नञ्) + प्राप्त (कृदन्त from प्र+आप्) + शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); नञ्-तत्पुरुषः ‘अप्राप्तं शस्त्रं यस्य’ (without having obtained weapon)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• विप्रम्: the brahmin
• विप्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• निजघ्नुः: they struck/killed
• निजघ्नुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद; नि उपसर्ग

• निशितायुधैः: with sharp weapons
• निशितायुधैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशित (कृदन्त from निश्+त) + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्मधारयः ‘निशितानि आयुधानि’

Speaker

Sūta (continued narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (implied) Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Royal attendants, reading the king’s intent, attack Jamadagni before he can arm himself; blades flash; the assembly turns into a slaughter.

Characters & Entities

• nṛpati (king)
• sevakāḥ (attendants)
• vipra (brāhmaṇa)
• Jamadagni (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma deepens when authority is enforced through cowardly violence, especially against the unarmed and the righteous.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not stated in this verse; it serves as sacred-history within the tīrtha-oriented chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates a transgression (violence against a brāhmaṇa).