Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

ते ग्रस्ता मृत्युना सर्वे भूतैर्मातृगणैस्तथा । महासुरकपालैश्च मांसमेदोवसोत्कटैः

Transliteration

te grastā mṛtyunā sarve bhūtairmātṛgaṇaistathā | mahāsurakapālaiśca māṃsamedovasotkaṭaiḥ

Translation

Mereka semua dicengkeram oleh Maut—oleh rombongan bhūta dan oleh kumpulan Para Ibu (Mātṛgaṇa)—serta oleh tengkorak para asura besar, mengerikan karena daging, lemak, dan sumsumnya.

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• ग्रस्ताः: devoured, seized
• ग्रस्ताः: Karta (Subject complement/विशेष्य-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रस् (धातु) → ग्रस्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; कर्तरि/कर्मणि-भावे ‘swallowed/consumed’

• मृत्युना: by death
• मृत्युना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (ते)

• भूतैः: by spirits/beings
• भूतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मातृ-गणैः: by the groups of Mothers (Mātṛs)
• मातृ-गणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मातॄणां गणाः)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय/रीतिवाचक

• महा-असुर-कपालैः: by the skulls of great demons
• महा-असुर-कपालैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + असुर (प्रातिपदिक) + कपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (महासुराणां कपालानि)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय-बोधक

• मांस-मेदस्-वस-उत्कटैः: by (those) reeking with flesh, fat, and grease
• मांस-मेदस्-वस-उत्कटैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मांस (प्रातिपदिक) + मेदस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वस (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्कट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (मांसं च मेदश्च वसा च) विशेषणम् ‘उत्कट’ = ‘foul/strong’

Speaker

Deductive (Revā Khaṇḍa narrative voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa relating the account)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mātṛkā companies and bhūtas surge across a corpse-strewn ground; enormous demon skulls with remnants of flesh and marrow; Death personified as an all-grasping force; the scene is night-like with funeral-fire glow.

Characters & Entities

• Mṛtyu (Death)
• Bhūtas
• Mātṛgaṇas (Mothers)
• Asuras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Death is inescapable in saṃsāra; only alignment with dharma and refuge in the divine transcends fear.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific pilgrimage site is named; the verse continues a cosmic catastrophe description within the Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.