Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

जरया ग्रस्तसर्वांगी दुःखमाप दुरत्ययम् । निरन्नपानवसना सा कदाचिन्महाजनान्

Transliteration

jarayā grastasarvāṃgī duḥkhamāpa duratyayam | nirannapānavasanā sā kadācinmahājanān

Translation

Son corps tout entier saisi par la vieillesse, elle tomba dans une souffrance presque insurmontable. Sans nourriture, sans boisson ni vêtement, un jour elle rencontra de grandes foules.

Word by Word

• जरया: by old age
• जरया: Karana (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन; करण/हेतु (by old age)

• ग्रस्त: afflicted
• ग्रस्त: Visheshana (Qualifier within compound)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle); पुं/नपुंस-प्रातिपदिकरूपेण समासे; अर्थः ‘ग्रस्तः’ = seized/afflicted

• सर्व: all
• सर्व: Visheshana (Qualifier within compound)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासे पूर्वपद; ‘सर्व’ = all

• अङ्गी: (she) whose whole body was afflicted
• अङ्गी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषभावः: सर्वाणि अङ्गानि यस्याः/यस्य → सर्वाङ्गी; ‘ग्रस्त’ इति विशेषणपूर्वकः: ग्रस्तसर्वाङ्गी = whose whole body is afflicted; कर्तृपद (subject)

• दुःखम्: sorrow/pain
• दुःखम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• आप: experienced/attained
• आप: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परिपूर्णभूत/परोक्षभूत) परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; ‘आपा’ = attained/experienced

• दुरत्ययम्: hard to overcome
• दुरत्ययम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुरत्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘दुःखम्’ इति विशेषणम्; समासः कर्मधारयः: दुर् + अत्यय = hard to cross/overcome

• निर्: without
• निर्: Upasarga/Modifier
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/निपात; समासे नकारार्थक (without)

• अन्न: food
• अन्न: Sambandha (within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासे पद; ‘food’

• पान: drink
• पान: Sambandha (within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासे पद; ‘drink’

• वसना: without food, drink, and clothing
• वसना: Visheshana (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; समासः द्वन्द्वः: अन्न + पान + वसन; तत्र ‘निर्’ उपपदपूर्वकः: निरन्नपानवसना = without food, drink, and clothing; कर्तृपदस्य विशेषणम्

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; सर्वनाम; कर्ता (subject)

• कदाचित्: once/sometime
• कदाचित्: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• महाजनान्: great people/crowds
• महाजनान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः: महान्तः जनाः → महाजनाः; कर्म (object)

Speaker

Narrator (context not specified in snippet; likely the Purāṇic narrator in Brahmakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A frail, bent old woman, body trembling, wrapped in torn cloth, stands at the edge of a bustling crowd; her gaze is drawn toward the gathering as if hope appears amid despair.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Old age reveals the fragility of worldly supports, urging compassion and dharmic care for those without resources.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named yet; the verse prepares for a scene involving a public religious journey.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly in this verse.