Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 103

Devanagari script

भयं लोकापवादाच्च सर्वेषामपि नान्यथा । ग्रासितं कालकूटं च सर्वेषामपि दुर्जरम्

Transliteration

bhayaṃ lokāpavādācca sarveṣāmapi nānyathā | grāsitaṃ kālakūṭaṃ ca sarveṣāmapi durjaram

Translation

Die Furcht vor dem Tadel der Welt entsteht bei allen—ohne Ausnahme. Und das Verschlingen von Kālakūṭa, dem tödlichen Gift, ist ebenso eine Tat, die für alle unerträglich ist.

Word by Word

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लोकापवादात्: from public reproach
• लोकापवादात्: Apādāna (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + अपवाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (लोकस्य अपवादः = public reproach)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (and)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अप्यर्थक अव्यय (also/even)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (not)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (otherwise)

• ग्रासितम्: swallowed
• ग्रासितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘swallowed’

• कालकूटम्: Kālakūṭa poison
• कालकूटम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालकूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (and)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अप्यर्थक अव्यय (also/even)

• दुर्जरम्: hard to endure/digest
• दुर्जरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्जर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘hard to digest/endure’

Speaker

Śiva (Maheśa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (frame) / Kālakūṭa episode (mythic reference)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A reflective statement contrasting common human fear of blame with the cosmic feat of swallowing Kālakūṭa; the atmosphere shifts from calm to awe at Śiva’s endurance.

Characters & Entities

• Kālakūṭa (poison)
• Śiva (implied as the one who swallowed it)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Public blame can trouble anyone, yet Śiva reminds that extraordinary burdens (like Kālakūṭa) are not trivial—true greatness is rare and demanding.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra-kṣetra context frames the teaching, though the verse itself uses a cosmic Śaiva reference (Kālakūṭa).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse uses ethical reflection and mythic comparison rather than ritual instruction.