Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

भृंगेषु कोकिलास्येषु विहारेषु स्मरानलम् । तत्प्राप्तौ स्नेहसंयुक्तं कामिनां हृदयं किल

Transliteration

bhṛṃgeṣu kokilāsyeṣu vihāreṣu smarānalam | tatprāptau snehasaṃyuktaṃ kāmināṃ hṛdayaṃ kila

Translation

Le « feu de Smara » (la fièvre de l’amour) demeure dans les abeilles, dans les gorges du coucou et dans les bosquets de plaisir ; et lorsqu’il s’empare d’eux, le cœur des amants se trouve, en vérité, lié par la tendresse.

Word by Word

• भृङ्गेषु: among/at the bees
• भृङ्गेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन

• कोकिलास्येषु: in the cuckoo-faces/voices
• कोकिलास्येषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोकिलास्य (प्रातिपदिक: कोकिल + आस्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कोकिलस्य आस्यम्)

• विहारेषु: in the pleasures/sports
• विहारेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन

• स्मरानलम्: the fire of Love (Kāma)
• स्मरानलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मरानल (प्रातिपदिक: स्मर + अनल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (स्मरः एव अनलः)

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; (समासे पूर्वपद)

• प्राप्तौ: upon attainment
• प्राप्तौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• स्नेहसंयुक्तम्: joined with affection
• स्नेहसंयुक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नेहसंयुक्त (प्रातिपदिक: स्नेह + संयुक्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (हृदयम्)

• कामिनाम्: of lovers
• कामिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• हृदयम्: the heart
• हृदयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• किल: indeed, it is said
• किल: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अर्थे—खलु/इति प्रसिद्धौ (indeed/it is said)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A spring grove alive with bees and cuckoos; lovers’ hearts shown as subtly ‘tied’ by a red thread of sneha, while an unseen heat (Smara-agni) shimmers in the air.

Characters & Entities

• Kāma (Smara)
• Bees (bhṛṅga)
• Cuckoo (kokila)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when desire’s deity is subdued, desire as a force persists in nature and the mind; dharma requires discernment and restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse uses seasonal/nature imagery to describe kāma’s diffusion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive and psychological/poetic.