Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 112

Devanagari script

राजस्त्रीमामिषधिया सुपर्णकुलसंभवः । जहार विकटः पक्षी मुग्धां दग्धविधेर्वशात्

Transliteration

rājastrīmāmiṣadhiyā suparṇakulasaṃbhavaḥ | jahāra vikaṭaḥ pakṣī mugdhāṃ dagdhavidhervaśāt

Translation

In fleischlicher Verkennung hielt ein gewaltiger Vogel aus dem Geschlecht der Suparṇa die königliche Frau für Beute und raubte die Unschuldige—getrieben vom überwältigenden Zwang eines verbrannten Geschicks.

Word by Word

• राज-स्त्रीम्: the king’s wife (queen)
• राज-स्त्रीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज (प्रातिपदिक) + स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘the king’s woman/queen’

• आमिष-धिया: thinking her to be flesh (prey)
• आमिष-धिया: Hetu/Karaṇa (हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आमिष (प्रातिपदिक) + धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/हेतु: ‘with the notion of flesh (as prey)’

• सुपर्ण-कुल-सम्भवः: one born of the Suparṇa lineage
• सुपर्ण-कुल-सम्भवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुपर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + कुल (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘born in the Garuḍa-bird lineage’

• जहार: abducted/carried away
• जहार: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘carried off’

• विकटः: huge/terrible
• विकटः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण

• पक्षी: bird
• पक्षी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• मुग्धाम्: bewildered/innocent
• मुग्धाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुग्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मविशेषण (qualifying object)

• दग्ध-विधेः: of cruel fate
• दग्ध-विधेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दग्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दह्) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध: ‘of burnt fate/ill destiny’

• वशात्: due to the sway (of)
• वशात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेतौ (ablative of cause): ‘due to the power/control (of)’

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator within Setukhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Raktavāpī (contextual)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A gigantic suparṇa-lineage bird swoops down near the crimson pond, mistaking the red-drenched queen for flesh; it seizes her as attendants cry out; the sky darkens with beating wings.

Characters & Entities

• Queen (Mṛgāvatī, implied)
• Suparṇa lineage bird

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇas depict how calamity can arise abruptly through the momentum of fate and prior causes, urging vigilance and reliance on dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setu-kṣetra narrative frame continues, though this verse focuses on the crisis rather than direct tīrtha praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None—this verse narrates the onset of danger immediately after the bathing scene.