Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

किमेभिः क्रीडसे देव दानवैर्दुष्टमानसैः । दुर्जनैर्लब्धरंध्रस्य पुरुषस्य कुतः क्रियाः

Transliteration

kimebhiḥ krīḍase deva dānavairduṣṭamānasaiḥ | durjanairlabdharaṃdhrasya puruṣasya kutaḥ kriyāḥ

Translation

„O Herr, warum spielst du mit diesen Dānavas, deren Sinn verderbt ist? Wenn die Bösen eine Lücke finden, welche gute Tat kann ein Mensch dann noch vollbringen?“

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (किम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• एभिः: with these
• एभिः: Karana (Instrument/association/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• क्रीडसे: do you play/sport
• क्रीडसे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: krīḍ (क्रीड् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद; मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (देव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• दानवैः: with demons (Dānavas)
• दानवैः: Karana (Association/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dānava (दानव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• दुष्टमानसैः: wicked-minded
• दुष्टमानसैः: Karana (Qualifier of association/करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duṣṭa + mānasa (दुष्ट प्रातिपदिक + मानस प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘दुष्टं मानसं येषाम्/दुष्टमानसाः’ (wicked-minded)

• दुर्जनैः: with evil people
• दुर्जनैः: Karana (Association/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dur + jana (दुर् उपसर्ग + जन प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (उपपद/उपसर्गपूर्व)

• लब्धरन्ध्रस्य: of one who has found a weak spot
• लब्धरन्ध्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: labdha + randhra (√labh क्त + रन्ध्र प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘लब्धं रन्ध्रं यस्य’ (having found an opening)

• पुरुषस्य: of a man/person
• पुरुषस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (पुरुष प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• कुतः: whence/how
• कुतः: Sambandha (Interrogative modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kutas (कुतस् अव्यय/प्रश्न)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative adverb: from where/how)

• क्रियाः: actions/ability to act
• क्रियाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kriyā (क्रिया प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (कर्ता/विषय), बहुवचन

Speaker

Indra (within Nārada’s narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra admonishes Viṣṇu with respectful intensity; the Dānavas are shown at a distance as shadowy, opportunistic figures seeking a breach, while Viṣṇu remains composed.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Viṣṇu
• Dānavas
• Durjana (wicked people)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Do not treat adharmic forces lightly; negligence gives evil the opening it seeks.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse teaches nīti (practical dharma) in a battle context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is moral exhortation.