Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

एकदा मृगयाकेलिलोलुपः स महीपतिः । विवेश गह्वरं घोरं बलेन महतावृतः

Transliteration

ekadā mṛgayākelilolupaḥ sa mahīpatiḥ | viveśa gahvaraṃ ghoraṃ balena mahatāvṛtaḥ

Translation

ഒരിക്കൽ വേട്ടക്കളിയിൽ ലാലസനായ ആ രാജാവ്, മഹാബലത്താൽ ചുറ്റപ്പെട്ടവനായി, ഗുഹപോലെ ഭയങ്കരമായ വനഗർഭത്തിലേക്ക് പ്രവേശിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• एकदा: once
• एकदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• मृगयाकेलिलोलुपः: greedy for the sport of hunting
• मृगयाकेलिलोलुपः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृगया (प्रातिपदिक) + केलि (प्रातिपदिक) + लोलुप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष): मृगयायाः केल्यां लोलुपः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; (eager for sport of hunting)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; (he)

• महीपतिः: the king
• महीपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): मह्याः पतिः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; (king)

• विवेश: entered
• विवेश: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; (entered)

• गह्वरम्: a cave/gorge
• गह्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गह्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; (cave/gorge)

• घोरम्: terrible
• घोरम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; (terrible), गह्वरम्-विशेषण

• बलेन: with strength
• बलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; (with force/strength)

• महतā: great
• महतā: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; बल-विशेषण (by great...)

• आवृतः: surrounded
• आवृतः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-वृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; (surrounded/covered)

Speaker

Narrator (not specified in the excerpt; likely the Purāṇic narrator within Brāhma Khaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king on a chariot with bow, surrounded by soldiers and hunters, entering a dark, cavernous forest corridor; twisted trees, rocky overhangs like a cave-mouth, ominous shadows.

Characters & Entities

• mahīpati (king)
• bala (army/retinue)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Attachment to thrill and sport can draw even the powerful into peril; Purāṇic narratives often use such turns to introduce moral consequence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it sets the scene in a frightening forest region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is narrative scene-setting.