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Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 69

यथा जरायुणा देही दुःखं तिष्ठति वेष्टितः । पतितः सागरे यद्वद्दृःखमास्ते समाकुलः

yathā jarāyuṇā dehī duḥkhaṃ tiṣṭhati veṣṭitaḥ | patitaḥ sāgare yadvaddṛḥkhamāste samākulaḥ

De même que l’être incarné, enveloppé dans la membrane fœtale (jarāyu), demeure dans la peine, de même—tel celui qui tombe dans l’océan—il reste bouleversé, submergé de souffrance.

यथाjust as
यथा:
Upamāna-dyotaka
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; उपमान (as)
जरायुणाby the amniotic membrane
जरायुणा:
Karana (instrument/means)
TypeNoun
Rootजरायु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (neuter, instrumental sg)
देहीthe embodied being
देही:
Karta (subject)
TypeNoun
Rootदेहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine, nominative sg)
दुःखम्suffering
दुःखम्:
Karma (object/experience)
TypeNoun
Rootदुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, accusative sg)
तिष्ठतिremains
तिष्ठति:
Kriya
TypeVerb
Rootस्था (धातु)
Formलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
वेष्टितःwrapped/enclosed
वेष्टितः:
Visheshana (qualifier of ‘देही’)
TypeAdjective
Rootवेṣ्ट् (धातु)
Formक्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine nominative sg: wrapped/enclosed)
पतितःfallen
पतितः:
Visheshana (qualifier of implied subject)
TypeAdjective
Rootपत् (धातु)
Formक्त (past active/passive participle usage), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine nominative sg: fallen)
सागरेin the ocean
सागरे:
Adhikarana (location)
TypeNoun
Rootसागर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (masculine, locative sg)
यद्वत्as if/just like
यद्वत्:
Upamāna-dyotaka
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयद्वत् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; उपमानार्थक (indeclinable: like/just as)
दुःखम्suffering
दुःखम्:
Karma (object/experience)
TypeNoun
Rootदुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
आस्तेremains
आस्ते:
Kriya
TypeVerb
Rootआस् (धातु)
Formलट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (sits/remains)
समाकुलःdistressed/agitated
समाकुलः:
Visheshana (qualifier of subject)
TypeAdjective
Rootसमाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine nominative sg)

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Scene: A split-panel allegory: on one side, a fetus-like figure curled and wrapped in membrane within a dim womb; on the other, a person flailing in a vast ocean with waves towering—both expressing overwhelm and the need for rescue through dharma.

FAQs

Embodiment entails profound vulnerability and distress; remembering this supports dispassion and liberation-seeking.

None; the verse is part of a doctrinal reflection on the pain of birth.

No ritual is described; it is a contemplative teaching on the condition of the jīva before birth.