Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

महासत्त्वो महाकायो महादंष्ट्रासमाकुलः । वृक्षमूलं समायातः सिंहो यमतिभीषणः

Transliteration

mahāsattvo mahākāyo mahādaṃṣṭrāsamākulaḥ | vṛkṣamūlaṃ samāyātaḥ siṃho yamatibhīṣaṇaḥ

Translation

Un lion d’une férocité immense, au corps gigantesque, hérissé de grandes crocs—terrible comme Yama—s’approcha du pied de l’arbre.

Word by Word

• महासत्त्वः: of great strength/being
• महासत्त्वः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः: ‘महच्च तत् सत्त्वम्’

• महाकायः: huge-bodied
• महाकायः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + काय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः

• महादंष्ट्रासमाकुलः: bristling with huge fangs
• महादंष्ट्रासमाकुलः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + दंष्ट्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (instrumental): ‘महादंष्ट्राभिः समाकुलः’ (crowded with great fangs)

• वृक्षमूलम्: the root of a tree
• वृक्षमूलम्: Karman (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (accusative), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘वृक्षस्य मूलम्’

• समायातः: arrived/came
• समायातः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + या (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘having come/arrived’

• सिंहः: lion
• सिंहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• यमतिभीषणः: terrifying as Yama
• यमतिभीषणः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक) + अतिभीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘यमस्य अतिभीषणः’ (terrifying like/for Yama)

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-kṣetra (peripheral vana-pradeśa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis / inquirer

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A massive lion with bared fangs approaches the base of a tree where travelers shelter; the lion’s presence is Yama-like, dominating the nocturnal scene.

Characters & Entities

• Lion (siṃha)
• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The approach of death-like danger (Yama imagery) intensifies the ethical test, showing how dharma is measured under threat.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setu/Rāmeśvara sacred narrative frame continues; this verse focuses on the dramatic arrival of danger.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.