Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

यदैव हरिणाक्षीणां गोचरं याति चक्षुषाम् । मृतस्य निरये वासो जीवतश्चेश्वराद्भयम्

Transliteration

yadaiva hariṇākṣīṇāṃ gocaraṃ yāti cakṣuṣām | mṛtasya niraye vāso jīvataśceśvarādbhayam

Translation

À l’instant même où l’on entre dans le regard de femmes aux yeux de biche, pour le mort il y a demeure en enfer; et pour le vivant, la crainte du Seigneur.

Word by Word

• yadā: when
• yadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: when)

• eva: indeed, just
• eva: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (particle of emphasis)

• hariṇa-akṣīṇām: of the doe-eyed women
• hariṇa-akṣīṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hariṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (Feminine, Genitive, Plural; ‘those whose eyes are like a deer’ = women)

• gocaram: range, field (of sight)
• gocaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gocara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Acc., Singular)

• yāti: goes, comes
• yāti: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Present indicative, 3rd person singular, parasmaipada)

• cakṣuṣām: of the eyes
• cakṣuṣām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakṣus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Neuter, Genitive, Plural)

• mṛtasya: of the dead man
• mṛtasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठī)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛta (कृदन्त; √mṛ धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Masculine, Genitive, Singular; ‘of the dead’)

• niraye: in hell
• niraye: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Locative, Singular)

• vāsaḥ: dwelling, residence
• vāsaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nom., Singular)

• jīvataḥ: of the living man
• jīvataḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठī)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvat (कृदन्त; √jīv धातु, शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (Masculine, Genitive, Singular; ‘of the living’)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• īśvarāt: from the Lord
• īśvarāt: Apādāna (Source/Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Ablative, Singular)

• bhayam: fear
• bhayam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom., Singular)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa discourse, likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhūpāla (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic scene: a man’s eyes drawn toward doe-eyed women; above, a stern yet compassionate Śiva as cosmic witness; below, a shadowy naraka gate contrasted with a living man trembling in reverent fear.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (the Lord)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Unchecked desire is framed as spiritually dangerous, leading to fear, guilt, and dire karmic consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is specified; the verse stresses ethical restraint rather than pilgrimage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the implied prescription is indriya-nigraha (sense control) and reverence for Īśvara.