Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

सर्वदा मृगयासक्तः कृपणो निर्घृणो बली । सर्वमांसाशनः क्रूरः सर्ववर्णांगनावृतः

Transliteration

sarvadā mṛgayāsaktaḥ kṛpaṇo nirghṛṇo balī | sarvamāṃsāśanaḥ krūraḥ sarvavarṇāṃganāvṛtaḥ

Translation

كان مولعًا بالصيد على الدوام؛ بخيلًا، قاسي القلب لا رحمة فيه، قويًّا؛ يأكل كل صنوف اللحم، شديد القسوة، تحيط به نساء من كل طبقة.

Word by Word

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• मृगयासक्तः: addicted to hunting
• मृगयासक्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृगया (प्रातिपदिक) + सक्त (कृदन्त; √सञ्ज्/सज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘attached to hunting’

• कृपणः: miserly/wretched
• कृपणः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृपण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निर्घृणः: merciless
• निर्घृणः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्घृण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बली: strong
• बली: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; i-stem adjective

• सर्वमांसाशनः: eater of all meat
• सर्वमांसाशनः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + मांस (प्रातिपदिक) + अशन्/अश् (धातु) → आशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘eater of all kinds of meat’

• क्रूरः: cruel
• क्रूरः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्ववर्णांगनावृतः: surrounded by women of all classes
• सर्ववर्णांगनावृतः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गना (प्रातिपदिक) + आवृत (कृदन्त; √वृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘surrounded by women of all varṇas’

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king in a forest hunt: slain animals, tense dogs, armed retinue; the king’s face hard and proud, surrounded by revelry and sensual excess—setting a dark moral tone.

Characters & Entities

• Vimardana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse diagnoses bondage: cruelty, greed, and sense-indulgence are shown as spiritual decline, preparing for the Purāṇic theme of redemption through devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the emphasis is on character and conduct prior to the devotional turn.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it functions as a moral contrast for the coming praise of Śiva-pūjā.