Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

किं मां दुर्जनवाक्येन त्वं ताडयसि निष्ठुरैः । प्रहारैर्दोषनिर्मुक्तां त्वत्पादप्रणतां विभो

Transliteration

kiṃ māṃ durjanavākyena tvaṃ tāḍayasi niṣṭhuraiḥ | prahārairdoṣanirmuktāṃ tvatpādapraṇatāṃ vibho

Translation

ข้าแต่พระผู้เป็นเจ้า ไฉนท่านจึงตีข้าด้วยการกระหน่ำอันโหดร้ายเพราะถ้อยคำของคนพาล? ข้าปราศจากโทษ และก้มกราบแทบพระบาทของท่าน

Word by Word

• किम्: why/what
• किम्: Sambandha (Interrogative particle/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोग (प्रश्नार्थक/why? what?)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्री/पुं (सर्वनाम); द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• दुर्जनवाक्येन: by the words of a wicked person
• दुर्जनवाक्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्जन + वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (दुर्जनस्य वाक्यम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• ताडयसि: you strike
• ताडयसि: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ताड् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• निष्ठुरैः: harsh
• निष्ठुरैः: Karana (Instrument qualifier/करणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्ठुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); बहुवचन; प्रहारैः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• प्रहारैः: with blows
• प्रहारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); बहुवचन

• दोषनिर्मुक्ताम्: freed from दोष (fault/sin)
• दोषनिर्मुक्ताम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दोष + निर्मुक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (दोषेभ्यः निर्मुक्ता); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; माम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• त्वत्पादप्रणताम्: bowed at your feet
• त्वत्पादप्रणताम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वत् + पाद + प्रणत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (त्वत्पादेषु प्रणता); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; माम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• विभो: O Lord
• विभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative); एकवचन

Speaker

The woman (addressing her husband)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The woman, still with folded hands, looks up in pained accusation, questioning the lord/authority who has struck her; onlookers react with discomfort and surprise.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma requires discernment; judgments based only on malicious speech (durjana-vākya) lead to injustice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly mentioned; the tīrtha setting frames the later ordeal and purification motif.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is a plea preceding the proposed proof.