Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 109

Devanagari script

संसाराख्यमतोऽनये ये ग्राहग्रस्ता न संशयः । अथ ब्राह्मणभेदांस्त्वमष्टो विप्रावधारय

Transliteration

saṃsārākhyamato'naye ye grāhagrastā na saṃśayaḥ | atha brāhmaṇabhedāṃstvamaṣṭo viprāvadhāraya

Translation

Por ello, quienes son apresados por esto llamado “saṃsāra” son, sin duda, como víctimas atrapadas por un cocodrilo. Ahora, oh brāhmaṇa, comprende de mí las ocho clasificaciones de los brāhmaṇas.

Word by Word

• saṃsārākhyam: called ‘saṃsāra’
• saṃsārākhyam: Karma (Object/Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃsāra (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (संसार-आख्यम् = ‘संसार-नामकं’)

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक-निपात (therefore)

• anaye: by this (method/teaching)
• anaye: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• ye: those who
• ye: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यः

• grāhagrastāḥ: seized by a crocodile
• grāhagrastāḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: grāha (प्रातिपदिक) + grasta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (ग्राहेण ग्रस्ताः)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• saṃśayaḥ: doubt
• saṃśayaḥ: Karta (Predicate nominal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• atha: now/then
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भार्थक-निपात (now/then)

• brāhmaṇabhedān: the divisions of Brahmins
• brāhmaṇabhedān: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + bheda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्राह्मणानां भेदाः)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• aṣṭau: eight
• aṣṭau: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭan (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• vipra: O Brahmin
• vipra: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• avadhāraya: understand/ascertain
• avadhāraya: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava + √dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), contextually within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration to the sages

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇa addressed as 'tvam… vipra'

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A human figure caught in a crocodile’s jaws in a swirling river labeled 'saṃsāra'; a teacher-sage on the bank raises a hand in instruction, pointing to a palm-leaf manuscript titled 'aṣṭa brāhmaṇa-bhedāḥ'.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly bondage is depicted as a near-inescapable grasp, and the text turns to dharma-clarification through defining brāhmaṇa categories.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the passage is doctrinal/ethical instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it introduces a dharma taxonomy (brāhmaṇa-bheda) rather than a specific rite.