Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 617

Devanagari script

मक्षिकादंशमशकैर्भक्ष्यते सर्पवृश्चिकैः । भक्ष्यमाणोऽपि तैर्जंतुः क्रंदते म्रियते न हि

Transliteration

makṣikādaṃśamaśakairbhakṣyate sarpavṛścikaiḥ | bhakṣyamāṇo'pi tairjaṃtuḥ kraṃdate mriyate na hi

Translation

تأكله الذبابُ والذبابُ اللادغُ والبعوض، وتأكله الحيّاتُ والعقارب. ومع أنه يُلتَهَمُ منهم، يصرخُ الكائنُ وينوح، لكنه لا يموت.

Word by Word

• makṣikā-daṃśa-maśakaiḥ: by flies, biting insects, and mosquitoes
• makṣikā-daṃśa-maśakaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: makṣikā (प्रातिपदिक) + daṃśa (प्रातिपदिक) + maśaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समासः; तृतीया बहुवचनम्; instrumental plural ('by flies, gadflies/biters, and mosquitoes')

• bhakṣyate: is eaten
• bhakṣyate: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhakṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; present passive/ātmanepada usage, 3rd sg ('is eaten')

• sarpa-vṛścikaiḥ: by snakes and scorpions
• sarpa-vṛścikaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarpa (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛścika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समासः; तृतीया बहुवचनम्; instrumental plural

• bhakṣyamāṇaḥ: being eaten
• bhakṣyamāṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhakṣ (धातु) → bhakṣyamāṇa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्तः (शानच्), पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; present passive participle ('being eaten')

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; particle ('even/also')

• taiḥ: by them
• taiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्; instrumental plural ('by them')

• jantuḥ: the creature
• jantuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jantu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; nominative singular

• krandate: cries out
• krandate: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: krand (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; present, 3rd sg

• mriyate: dies
• mriyate: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: mṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; present, 3rd sg

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्ययम्; negation

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये अव्ययम्; emphatic/causal particle

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dark infernal scene: a suffering being covered by swarming flies and mosquitoes, while snakes and scorpions bite; the figure cries out amid oppressive gloom, yet remains alive.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text uses vivid imagery of suffering to warn against harmful karma and to reinforce moral accountability.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; this is a cosmological-ethical description of punishment states.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed in this verse; it functions as a deterrent and moral exhortation.