Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 92

Devanagari script

नरके कृमिभक्ष्ये ते पतन्ति स्वात्मपोषकाः । ततः प्रसूतिकाले हि कृमिभुक्तश्च सव्रणः

Transliteration

narake kṛmibhakṣye te patanti svātmapoṣakāḥ | tataḥ prasūtikāle hi kṛmibhuktaśca savraṇaḥ

Translation

Those who nourish only themselves fall into the hell called Kṛmibhakṣya. Then, at the time of birth, they are eaten by worms and covered with wounds.

Word by Word

• नरके: in hell
• नरके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• कृमि-भक्ष्ये: in (the place) where worms are the food / worm-eaten
• कृमि-भक्ष्ये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृमि (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कृमिभिः भक्ष्ये = कृमिभक्ष्ये)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• पतन्ति: fall
• पतन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• स्वात्म-पोषकाः: self-nourishers / those who pamper themselves
• स्वात्म-पोषकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + पोषक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वात्मनः पोषकाः)

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः: अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (तदनन्तरम्)

• प्रसूति-काले: at the time of birth
• प्रसूति-काले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसूति (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रसूतेः काले)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis/indeed)

• कृमि-भुक्तः: eaten by worms
• कृमि-भुक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृमि (प्रातिपदिक) + भुक्त (कृदन्त; √भुज् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि-क्त (past passive participle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• स-व्रणः: with wounds; ulcerated
• स-व्रणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + व्रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (व्रणेन सह = सव्रणः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Skanda Purana narrative style within Āvantya Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha-cycle (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stark karmic tableau: a miserly figure falling into the hell ‘Kṛmibhakṣya’, surrounded by writhing worms; in a parallel vignette, the same soul reborn with ulcerated, worm-eaten wounds—contrasted with a distant, serene riverbank tīrtha where charity is offered.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛmibhakṣya (Naraka)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Self-centered consumption violates dharma; generosity purifies, while selfishness ripens into suffering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified; the verse supports the broader tīrtha-dharma ethos of Revā Khaṇḍa through emphasis on dāna.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied prescription: share food and practice dāna rather than eating solely for oneself.