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

Ceux qui ne nourrissent qu’eux-mêmes tombent dans l’enfer nommé Kṛmibhakṣya. Puis, au moment de la naissance, ils sont rongés par les vers et couverts de plaies.

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.