Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 137

Devanagari script

पितॄन्देवांस्तर्पयंति शोणितैश्चामिषैः शुभैः । केचिदामिषराशिस्था दृष्ट्वान्यस्य करामिषम्

Transliteration

pitṝndevāṃstarpayaṃti śoṇitaiścāmiṣaiḥ śubhaiḥ | kecidāmiṣarāśisthā dṛṣṭvānyasya karāmiṣam

Translation

ಕೆಲವರು ಪಿತೃಗಳನ್ನೂ ದೇವರನ್ನೂ ರಕ್ತದಿಂದಲೂ ಶುಭವಾದ ಮಾಂಸದಿಂದಲೂ ತರ್ಪಿಸಿ ತೃಪ್ತಿಪಡಿಸಿದರು. ಇನ್ನೂ ಕೆಲವರು ಮಾಂಸರಾಶಿಗಳ ಮೇಲೆ ನಿಂತು, ಮತ್ತೊಬ್ಬನ ಕೈಯಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಮಾಂಸವನ್ನು ಲೋಭದಿಂದ ನೋಡಿದರು.

Word by Word

• पितṝन्: the fathers (manes)
• पितṝन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तर्पयन्ति: they satisfy/propitiate
• तर्पयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच् (कारण) प्रयोगः—‘तर्पयति’

• शोणितैः: with blood
• शोणितैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोणित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• आमिषैः: with meat/flesh
• आमिषैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आमिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• शुभैः: auspicious, choice
• शुभैः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (आमिषैः/शोणितैः)

• केचित्: some (people)
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक-सर्वनाम (some)

• आमिषराशिस्थाः: standing on heaps of meat
• आमिषराशिस्थाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आमिष + राशि + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘आमिष-राशौ स्थाः’ इति सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष; विशेषणम् (केचित्)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• अन्यस्य: of another
• अन्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• करामिषम्: meat in (his) hand
• करामिषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर + आमिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘करस्य आमिषम्’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grim assembly where some attempt to 'satisfy' Pitṛs and Devas with blood and choice flesh; others stand atop heaps of meat, staring covetously at meat held by another—an allegory of insatiable desire.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It contrasts true reverence with grasping envy: offerings and rites without inner purity can degrade into appetite and rivalry.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It alludes to tarpaṇa (satiation/offerings) for Pitṛs and Devas, but does not prescribe a formal procedure.