Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

मशकैर्मत्कुणैः काकैर्ये भक्ष्यंते विहंगमैः । व्रतभंगरता ह्येते व्रतिना चैव हिंसकाः

Transliteration

maśakairmatkuṇaiḥ kākairye bhakṣyaṃte vihaṃgamaiḥ | vratabhaṃgaratā hyete vratinā caiva hiṃsakāḥ

Translation

Aquellos a quienes devoran mosquitos, chinches, cuervos y otras aves son los que se complacen en quebrantar los votos sagrados y en dañar a quienes los observan.

Word by Word

• मशकैः: by mosquitoes
• मशकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; करणम्

• मत्कुणैः: by bedbugs
• मत्कुणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्कुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करणम्

• काकैः: by crows
• काकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करणम्

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• भक्ष्यन्ते: are eaten
• भक्ष्यन्ते: Karma (Patient/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• विहङ्गमैः: by birds
• विहङ्गमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विहङ्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करणम्

• व्रतभङ्गरताः: delighting in breaking vows
• व्रतभङ्गरताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रत + भङ्ग + रत (प्रातिपदिक; रम् (धातु) → रत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• व्रतिनः: of the vow-keeper / ascetic
• व्रतिनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (सम्बन्धी)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

• हिंसकाः: harmers, violent ones
• हिंसकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिंसक (प्रातिपदिक; हिंस् (धातु) + ण्वुल्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तृवाचक-संज्ञा

Speaker

Unspecified (Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa narrative voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grim scene where sinners are swarmed by mosquitoes and bedbugs while crows and birds peck—an image of relentless, humiliating suffering for those who broke vows and harmed the disciplined.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa-kṣetra
• Vrata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vows are sacred commitments; breaking them—and obstructing the disciplined—destroys merit and invites suffering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, whose Māhātmya encourages vrata, restraint, and support of religious practitioners.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse upholds vrata as a discipline (not to be broken) and implies reverence and non-violence toward vratins.