Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 63
Devanagari script
पीयूषमधरे वासं हृदि हालाहलं विषम् । आस्वाद्यतेऽधरस्तेन हृदयं च प्रपीड्यते
Transliteration
pīyūṣamadhare vāsaṃ hṛdi hālāhalaṃ viṣam | āsvādyate'dharastena hṛdayaṃ ca prapīḍyate
Translation
Nektar scheint auf den Lippen zu wohnen, doch im Herzen ist das Gift Hālāhala: Die Lippen werden gekostet, und das Herz wird zermalmt.
Word by Word
pīyūṣa-madharein the nectar-like lower lip
pīyūṣa-madhare:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootpīyūṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + madhara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसप्तमी-एकवचनम् (Locative 7th), पुंलिङ्गम् (Masculine); तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी/संबन्धः) ‘पीयूषस्य मधरः’
vāsamdwelling, residence
vāsam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootvāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formद्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Accusative 2nd), पुंलिङ्गम् (Masculine)
hṛdiin the heart
hṛdi:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Roothṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसप्तमी-एकवचनम् (Locative 7th), नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (Neuter)
hālāhalamhālāhala (deadly poison)
hālāhalam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roothālāhala (प्रातिपदिक)
Formद्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Accusative 2nd), नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (Neuter)
viṣampoison
viṣam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootviṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formद्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Accusative 2nd), नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (Neuter); विशेष्य-विशेषणभावः (apposition to hālāhalam)
āsvādyateis tasted
āsvādyate:
Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootā√svad (धातु)
Formलट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (Singular), आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (Passive)
adharaḥthe lower lip
adharaḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootadhara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Nominative 1st), पुंलिङ्गम् (Masculine)
tenaby that (i.e., by it/thereby)
tena:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formतृतीया-एकवचनम् (Instrumental 3rd), पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (Mas/Neut); सर्वनाम
hṛdayamthe heart
hṛdayam:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roothṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रथमा-एकवचनम् (Nominative 1st) वा द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Accusative 2nd), नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (Neuter); अत्र कर्तृपदत्वे (as subject of passive)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)
prapīḍyateis oppressed/pressed
prapīḍyate:
Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpra√pīḍ (धातु)
Formलट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (Singular), आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (Passive)
Speaker
Condemned man (continuing the recited verses)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A symbolic tableau: lips gleaming with nectar while the heart region is darkened by Hālāhala poison; a figure smiles outwardly yet clutches the chest in pain—moral allegory of deceptive pleasure.
Characters & Entities
H
Hālāhala (poison)FAQs
Do not be captivated by sweet speech alone; dharma assesses the heart—intent and character—behind words.
Not specified in this verse; it functions as a moralizing metaphor within the chapter.
None.