Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

सर्वदा सर्वभक्षस्त्वं सर्वस्त्रीजनलालसः । सर्वहिंसापरः क्रूरः कथं भक्तिस्तवेश्वरे

Transliteration

sarvadā sarvabhakṣastvaṃ sarvastrījanalālasaḥ | sarvahiṃsāparaḥ krūraḥ kathaṃ bhaktistaveśvare

Translation

“আপনি সর্বদা সর্বভক্ষী, সকল নারীর প্রতি লালসাপরায়ণ, সর্বপ্রকার হিংসায় রত ও নিষ্ঠুর—তবে ঈশ্বরে আপনার ভক্তি কীভাবে সম্ভব?”

Word by Word

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal adverb/कालवाचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; नित्यत्व/कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (always)

• सर्वभक्षः: all-eating
• सर्वभक्षः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-भक्ष (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + भक्ष)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्

• सर्वस्त्रीजनलालसः: desirous of all womenfolk
• सर्वस्त्रीजनलालसः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-स्त्री-जन-लालस (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + स्त्री + जन + लालस)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (स्त्रीजनस्य लालसः; ‘सर्व’ उपपद-विशेषण)

• सर्वहिंसापरः: devoted to all violence
• सर्वहिंसापरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-हिंसा-पर (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + हिंसा + पर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (हिंसायां परः = सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः)

• क्रूरः: cruel
• क्रूरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriya-visheshana (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रश्नार्थक-अव्ययम् (how)

• भक्तिः: devotion
• भक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम्

• तव: of you
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (6th/Genitive), एकवचनम्

• ईश्वरे: in the Lord
• ईश्वरे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (7th/Locative), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Kumudvatī (the queen)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The queen speaks firmly, enumerating the king’s vices; the king’s face shows a controlled reaction—either shame, amusement, or concealed knowledge; attendants are absent to preserve privacy.

Characters & Entities

• Kumudvatī
• king
• Īśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhakti is inseparable from restraint and compassion; violence, lust, and cruelty contradict devotion to Īśvara.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned; the verse emphasizes moral qualifications for devotion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the implied discipline is ethical purification—ahiṃsā, self-control, and right conduct.