Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

अथ तां पार्थिवस्तूर्णं शरेणानतपर्वणा । जघानाकर्णकृष्टेन मर्मस्थाने प्रहर्षितः

Transliteration

atha tāṃ pārthivastūrṇaṃ śareṇānataparvaṇā | jaghānākarṇakṛṣṭena marmasthāne praharṣitaḥ

Translation

Bấy giờ nhà vua liền bắn nàng thật mau bằng mũi tên gân không cong, kéo dây đến tận tai, trúng vào chỗ hiểm, trong niềm hân hoan kích động.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Avyaya (Discourse connector/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर/आरम्भवाचक-अव्यय (sequence particle)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पार्थिवः: the king
• पार्थिवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तूर्णम्: quickly
• तूर्णम्: Avyaya (Manner adjunct/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तूर्णम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• शरेण: with an arrow
• शरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अनतपर्वणा: (with an arrow) having unbent joints/knots
• अनतपर्वणा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनत + पर्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शरस्य विशेषणम्; ‘with unbent joints/knots’

• जघान: struck; killed
• जघान: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• आकर्णकृष्टेन: drawn back to the ear
• आकर्णकृष्टेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आकर्ण + कृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; √कृष् ‘to draw’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शरस्य विशेषणम्; ‘drawn up to the ear’

• मर्मस्थाने: in a vital spot
• मर्मस्थाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्मस्थान (प्रातिपदिक: मर्म + स्थान)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रहर्षितः: delighted; thrilled
• प्रहर्षितः: Karta (Subject attribute/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + हृष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भावे/कर्तरि ‘delighted’

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king releases a fully drawn arrow to the ear; it strikes the doe at a vital spot—dramatic rupture of the earlier calm nursing scene.

Characters & Entities

• King Camatkāra (context)
• Doe
• Arrow
• Marma (vital spot)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Acts done in heedless exhilaration can become the trigger for karmic reversal and later repentance—common in tīrtha-māhātmya narratives.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the Nāgarakhaṇḍa forest setting that will be revealed as spiritually charged through ensuing events.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates the king’s action, preparing for subsequent dharma/atonement instructions typical of Purāṇic tīrtha accounts.