Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 103

Devanagari script

विषाणि चाभिचाराश्च मृत्योर्द्वाराणि देहिनाम् । पीडितं सर्परोगाद्यैरपि धन्वंतरिः स्वयम्

Transliteration

viṣāṇi cābhicārāśca mṛtyordvārāṇi dehinām | pīḍitaṃ sarparogādyairapi dhanvaṃtariḥ svayam

Translation

Gifte und Abhicāra (Zauberwerke) sind Tore des Todes für die verkörperten Wesen. Selbst Dhanvantari wurde von Schlangenbiss, Krankheit und dergleichen heimgesucht.

Word by Word

• विषाणि: poisons
• विषाणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक conjunction)

• अभिचाराः: sorceries/black-magic rites
• अभिचाराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• मृत्योः: of death
• मृत्योः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• द्वाराणि: doors/gateways
• द्वाराणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• देहिनाम्: of embodied beings
• देहिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• पीडितम्: afflicted
• पीडितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √पीड् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; कर्मणि; 'afflicted' (qualifies implied object/देहिनम्)

• सर्परोगाद्यैः: by snake-ailments and the like
• सर्परोगाद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्प (प्रातिपदिक) + रोग (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (सर्परोगः आदि येषाम्) = 'by snake-disease etc.'; करण

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्भावना/अपि-कार particle: 'even/also')

• धन्वन्तरिः: Dhanvantari
• धन्वन्तरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन्वन्तरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष-नाम (proper noun)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (आत्मनः/स्वतः adverb: 'himself')

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Symbolic ‘doors of death’: a threshold marked ‘Viṣa’ and ‘Abhicāra’; a serpent poised to strike; Dhanvantari shown momentarily afflicted yet luminous, emphasizing paradox and wonder.

Characters & Entities

• Dhanvantari

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the greatest healer is not immune to affliction; therefore, one should not be complacent but take refuge in dharma and spiritual preparation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it identifies dangers (poison, sorcery, bites, diseases) as pathways to death.