Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

शरीरनाशं कृष्णात्त्वमवाप्स्यसि न संशयः । एवं शप्तो ब्रह्मणाऽसौ विष्णुमेतदयाचत

Transliteration

śarīranāśaṃ kṛṣṇāttvamavāpsyasi na saṃśayaḥ | evaṃ śapto brahmaṇā'sau viṣṇumetadayācata

Translation

“You shall meet bodily destruction at the hands of Kṛṣṇa—of this there is no doubt.” Thus cursed by Brahmā, he then requested this boon from Viṣṇu.

Word by Word

• śarīra-nāśam: destruction of the body
• śarīra-nāśam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (शरीर) + nāśa (नाश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘destruction of the body’

• kṛṣṇāt: from Kṛṣṇa
• kṛṣṇāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (कृष्ण प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी, एकवचन; ‘from Kṛṣṇa’

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (युष्मद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• avāpsyasi: will obtain
• avāpsyasi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-√āp (आप् धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future/भविष्यत्), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘you will obtain/meet with’

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• saṃśayaḥ: doubt
• saṃśayaḥ: Pratijna (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya (संशय प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; (अस्ति-लोपे) ‘(there is) doubt’

• evam: thus
• evam: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (एवम् अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• śaptaḥ: cursed
• śaptaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √śap (शप् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘cursed’

• brahmaṇā: by Brahmā
• brahmaṇā: Kartr-karana (Agent-instrument/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (ब्रह्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘by Brahmā’

• asau: that one (he)
• asau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (अदस् सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• viṣṇum: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇum: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (विष्णु प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• etat: this
• etat: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (एतद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘this (request/matter)’

• ayācata: requested
• ayācata: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√yāc (याच् धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘begged/requested’

Speaker

Narrator (reporting Brahmā’s curse and ensuing request)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā pronounces a definitive curse: death by Kṛṣṇa. The cursed figure, shaken, turns toward Viṣṇu in supplication, shifting from defiance to petition.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Kṛṣṇa
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Actions and speech bring consequences; yet even under fate, one turns to the divine (Viṣṇu) seeking a higher, dharmic outcome.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None named.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is narrative and theological.