Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

जीवग्राहं स जग्राह बद्धा पाशैः सहस्रधा । मूर्तिमंति च रत्ननि पद्मादींश्च निधींस्तथा

Transliteration

jīvagrāhaṃ sa jagrāha baddhā pāśaiḥ sahasradhā | mūrtimaṃti ca ratnani padmādīṃśca nidhīṃstathā

Translation

Er ergriff die «jīvagrāha», die lebensraubenden Gefangenen, die mit Schlingen auf tausend Arten gebunden waren; und er nahm auch verkörperte Juwelen sowie die Schatzhorte (nidhi) wie Padma und die übrigen.

Word by Word

• जीवग्राहम्: the life-seizing (bond/capture)
• जीवग्राहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्राह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जीवानां ग्राहः = seizure of living beings / life-capture)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• जग्राह: seized
• जग्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ग्रह् (धातु; ग्रहणे)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• बद्धाः: bound
• बद्धाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बद्ध (कृदन्त; √बन्ध् ‘बन्धने’ क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; ‘bound’—वस्तूनां विशेषणम्

• पाशैः: with nooses/bonds
• पाशैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• सहस्रधा: a thousandfold
• सहस्रधा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहस्रधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—प्रकारवाचक (in a thousand ways/into thousands)

• मूर्तिमन्ति: embodied (ones)
• मूर्तिमन्ति: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्तिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन (पाठभेद/रूपभेद: मूर्तिमन्ति = मूर्तिमन्ति/मूर्तिमन्तानि)

• च: and
• च: Connector (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—समुच्चय (conjunction)

• रत्नानि: jewels
• रत्नानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• पद्मादीन्: Padma and the others (treasures)
• पद्मादीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पद्मं आदिः येषां ते = Padma and others)

• च: and
• च: Connector (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—समुच्चय (conjunction)

• निधीन्: treasures
• निधीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—समुच्चय/प्रकार (likewise/also)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fearsome figure seizes captives called jīvagrāhas, binding them with countless nooses; beside them appear personified treasures—radiant jewels and the Nidhis like Padma—being taken away amid chaos.

Characters & Entities

• Padma-nidhi
• Nidhi (treasure-hoards)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Attachment to wealth and power is portrayed as a cause of violence and seizure; dharma warns against greed-driven domination.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.