Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

सिंहव्याघ्रादिभीत्या स्मिन्वृक्षमेकं समास्थिते । राजपुत्रे तदाभ्यागादृक्षः सिंहभयार्दितः

Transliteration

siṃhavyāghrādibhītyā sminvṛkṣamekaṃ samāsthite | rājaputre tadābhyāgādṛkṣaḥ siṃhabhayārditaḥ

Translation

Lorsque le prince, par crainte des lions, des tigres et autres bêtes, s’était hissé sur un certain arbre, alors survint en hâte un ours, tourmenté par la peur d’un lion.

Word by Word

• सिंहव्याघ्रादि: lions, tigers, etc.
• सिंहव्याघ्रादि: Sambandha (In compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह + व्याघ्र + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: सिंह-व्याघ्र-आदि (समाहार-द्वन्द्वः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषे पूर्वपदत्वेन

• भीत्या: out of fear
• भीत्या: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वृक्षम्: tree
• वृक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• समास्थिते: when (he) had climbed/was stationed
• समास्थिते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-स्था (धातु) → समास्थित (भूतकृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग; ‘स्थिते सति’ (locative absolute)

• राजपुत्रे: (with) the prince (being)
• राजपुत्रे: Adhikarana (Locative absolute)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: राज्ञः पुत्रः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध/सप्तमी-absolute सह)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• अभ्यागात्: came near/approached
• अभ्यागात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ऋक्षः: a bear
• ऋक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सिंहभयार्दितः: distressed by fear of a lion
• सिंहभयार्दितः: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिंह + भय + आर्दित (प्रातिपदिक/क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: समासः: सिंहस्य भयेन आर्दितः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual attribution)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukhaṇḍa (unspecified forest spot)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A prince clings to branches high in a tree, eyes wide; below, the forest is dark. A bear bursts in, frantic, glancing back in terror of a lion.

Characters & Entities

• Prince (rājaputra)
• Bear (ṛkṣa)
• Lion (siṃha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In peril, beings seek refuge; such moments become the stage where dharma and compassion are revealed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode unfolds within Setukhaṇḍa’s sacred landscape tied to Setu/Rāmeśvara, though the verse itself focuses on the forest incident.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual instruction appears here; it introduces the conflict that will invoke dharmic reasoning.