Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

एवं ते निश्चयं कृत्वा निष्क्रम्य वरुणालयात् । रात्रौ सदैव निघ्नंति जनान्धर्मपरायणान्

Transliteration

evaṃ te niścayaṃ kṛtvā niṣkramya varuṇālayāt | rātrau sadaiva nighnaṃti janāndharmaparāyaṇān

Translation

یوں پختہ ارادہ کرکے وہ ورُن کے آستانے سے نکلتے ہیں، اور رات کے وقت برابر دھرم پر قائم لوگوں کو قتل کرتے رہتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/रीति-वाचक (adverb of manner)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुं/स्त्री/नपुं, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (context-dependent)

• निश्चयम्: a decision, resolve
• निश्चयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made/done
• कृत्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having done)

• निष्क्रम्य: having gone out
• निष्क्रम्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); ‘निष्क्रम्’ (to go out)

• वरुणालयात्: from Varuṇa’s abode
• वरुणालयात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: वरुणस्य आलयः); पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (Locus/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल-वाचक (adverb of time)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (particle of emphasis)

• निघ्नन्ति: they kill, they strike down
• निघ्नन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√हन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• जनान्: people
• जनान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• धर्मपरायणान्: devoted to dharma
• धर्मपरायणान्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (धर्मे परायणः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (जनान्)

Speaker

Unknown (Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa relating the māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Varuṇālaya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijasattama (best of the twice-born) implied by address in nearby verses

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dark riverside/sea-shore precinct marked as Varuṇa’s abode; shadowy assailants emerge at night to strike dharma-devoted pilgrims and householders.

Characters & Entities

• Varuṇa
• Varuṇālaya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even in a tīrtha-centered narrative, the Purāṇa underscores dharma by condemning violence against the righteous and portraying such acts as adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Varuṇālaya (the abode/shrine associated with Varuṇa), presented within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is descriptive/narrative rather than prescribing snāna, dāna, japa, or vrata.