Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

तस्माद्गच्छ द्रुतं यावन्न कश्चिच्छपते द्विजः । निहन्ति वा प्रकोपेन स्वर्गमार्गनिरोधकम्

Transliteration

tasmādgaccha drutaṃ yāvanna kaścicchapate dvijaḥ | nihanti vā prakopena svargamārganirodhakam

Translation

پس فوراً چلا جا—اس سے پہلے کہ کوئی برہمن (دِوِج) تجھے بددعا دے؛ یا غضب میں تجھے مار گرا کر تیرے لیے سُوَرگ کا راستہ بند کر دے۔

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: from that (therefore)
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• गच्छ: go
• गच्छ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदम्

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुत (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भावे अव्ययीभाव)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• यावत्: until
• यावत्: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/सम्बन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधी/पर्यन्तार्थक (until/as long as)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निषेध-अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation particle)

• कश्चित्: someone, anyone
• कश्चित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (निपात)
• Form: सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun), पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• शपते: curses
• शपते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपदम्

• द्विजः: a Brahmin (twice-born)
• द्विजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• निहन्ति: kills, strikes down
• निहन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदम्

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle: or)

• प्रकोपेन: by anger, in wrath
• प्रकोपेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्वर्गमार्गनिरोधकम्: the obstructer of the path to heaven
• स्वर्गमार्गनिरोधकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + निरोधक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुषः: स्वर्गस्य मार्गः (svarga-mārga) + तस्य निरोधकः (obstructor)

Speaker

Unspecified brāhmaṇa(s) warning the king (inferred from dvija reference and imperative tone)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tense moment of counsel: a figure urgently urging departure, with the looming presence of an austere brāhmaṇa whose potential curse is feared; the ‘path to heaven’ symbolized as a radiant road threatened by a dark barrier.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Respect for dharma-bearers (dvijas) and restraint in conflict are emphasized; arrogance and provocation can ruin spiritual prospects.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the sacred-city narrative of Nāgarakhaṇḍa without naming a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new ritual instruction; it warns about behavior during śrāddha-related seeking and the danger of brāhmaṇa śāpa.