Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

किमेभिः क्रीडसे देव दानवैर्दुष्टमानसैः । दुर्जनैर्लब्धरंध्रस्य पुरुषस्य कुतः क्रियाः

Transliteration

kimebhiḥ krīḍase deva dānavairduṣṭamānasaiḥ | durjanairlabdharaṃdhrasya puruṣasya kutaḥ kriyāḥ

Translation

हे देव! दुष्ट मन वाले इन दानवों के साथ आप क्यों क्रीड़ा करते हैं? जब दुर्जन को अवसर मिल जाए, तब मनुष्य कौन-सा शुभ कर्म कर सकेगा?

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (किम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• एभिः: with these
• एभिः: Karana (Instrument/association/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• क्रीडसे: do you play/sport
• क्रीडसे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: krīḍ (क्रीड् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद; मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (देव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• दानवैः: with demons (Dānavas)
• दानवैः: Karana (Association/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dānava (दानव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• दुष्टमानसैः: wicked-minded
• दुष्टमानसैः: Karana (Qualifier of association/करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duṣṭa + mānasa (दुष्ट प्रातिपदिक + मानस प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘दुष्टं मानसं येषाम्/दुष्टमानसाः’ (wicked-minded)

• दुर्जनैः: with evil people
• दुर्जनैः: Karana (Association/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dur + jana (दुर् उपसर्ग + जन प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (उपपद/उपसर्गपूर्व)

• लब्धरन्ध्रस्य: of one who has found a weak spot
• लब्धरन्ध्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: labdha + randhra (√labh क्त + रन्ध्र प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘लब्धं रन्ध्रं यस्य’ (having found an opening)

• पुरुषस्य: of a man/person
• पुरुषस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (पुरुष प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• कुतः: whence/how
• कुतः: Sambandha (Interrogative modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kutas (कुतस् अव्यय/प्रश्न)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative adverb: from where/how)

• क्रियाः: actions/ability to act
• क्रियाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kriyā (क्रिया प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (कर्ता/विषय), बहुवचन

Speaker

Indra (within Nārada’s narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra admonishes Viṣṇu with respectful intensity; the Dānavas are shown at a distance as shadowy, opportunistic figures seeking a breach, while Viṣṇu remains composed.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Viṣṇu
• Dānavas
• Durjana (wicked people)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Do not treat adharmic forces lightly; negligence gives evil the opening it seeks.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse teaches nīti (practical dharma) in a battle context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is moral exhortation.