Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

व्याधेनारण्यवासेन केल्यर्थं लक्ष्यवेधिना । छिन्नपादोऽभवद्बाणैर्लक्ष्य मध्यं समागतः

Transliteration

vyādhenāraṇyavāsena kelyarthaṃ lakṣyavedhinā | chinnapādo'bhavadbāṇairlakṣya madhyaṃ samāgataḥ

Translation

Un chasseur vivant dans la forêt, s’exerçant par jeu à frapper la cible, le blessa de ses flèches ; ses pieds furent tranchés, car le chasseur avait atteint le cœur même du but.

Word by Word

• व्याधेन: by a hunter
• व्याधेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• अरण्यवासेन: by (his) dwelling in the forest
• अरण्यवासेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरण्य-वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अरण्यस्य वासः)

• केल्यर्थम्: for sport / for play
• केल्यर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केलि-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the purpose); समासः तत्पुरुष (केल्याः अर्थः)

• लक्ष्यवेधिना: by the target-piercer (archer)
• लक्ष्यवेधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्य-वेधिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; समासः तत्पुरुष (लक्ष्यं वेधयति इति)

• छिन्नपादः: having (his) foot cut off
• छिन्नपादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छिन्न-पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; कृदन्तः भूतकर्मणि क्त (छिन्न) + प्रातिपदिक (पाद) कर्मधारयः

• अभवत्: became
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — Imperfect, 3rd person, Singular

• बाणैः: with arrows
• बाणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• लक्ष्य: the target
• लक्ष्य: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• मध्यम्: the middle / center
• मध्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• समागतः: having reached / arrived at
• समागतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः क्त (भूतकालिक कर्तरि), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Past participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Aṣṭāvakra (narrating the exemplum)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In a dense forest, a hunter aims at a target; an unintended victim is struck, arrows severing the feet—dramatic moment of error and consequence.

Characters & Entities

• vyādha (hunter)
• Harihara (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Human vulnerability and sudden suffering become the doorway through which tīrtha-grace and dharmic restoration are revealed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not yet; the injury is the cause that leads the afflicted person toward Munitīrtha/Cakratīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the narrative prepares for a curative/purificatory bath at a sacred tīrtha.