Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

तान्भक्षयित्वा शबरानमृतं त्वमिहानय । तत्र कश्चिद्द्विजः कामी शवरीसंगकौतुकी

Transliteration

tānbhakṣayitvā śabarānamṛtaṃ tvamihānaya | tatra kaściddvijaḥ kāmī śavarīsaṃgakautukī

Translation

“ആ ശബരന്മാരെ ഭക്ഷിച്ച് അമൃതം ഇവിടെ കൊണ്ടുവരിക. അവിടെ ശബരിയോടുള്ള സംഗമത്തിൽ കൗതുകമുള്ള ഒരു കാമാസക്ത ദ്വിജനും ഉണ്ട്.”

Word by Word

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (object of भक्षयित्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन; pronoun

• भक्षयित्वा: having eaten
• भक्षयित्वा: Kriya-viseshana (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु) → भक्षयित्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); prior action

• शबरान्: Śabaras
• शबरान्: Karma (object; apposition to तान्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शबर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया बहुवचन

• अमृतम्: nectar
• अमृतम्: Karma (object of आनय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा एकवचन; pronoun

• इह: here
• इह: Desha-adhikarana (place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here)

• आनय: bring
• आनय: Kriya (imperative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+नी (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Desha-adhikarana (place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (there)

• कश्चित्: a certain
• कश्चित्: Visheshana (qualifier of द्विजः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कश्चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; indefinite pronoun

• द्विजः: brahmin
• द्विजः: Karta (subject, implied ‘is/exists’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• कामी: lustful / desirous
• कामी: Visheshana (of द्विजः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन

• शवरीसंगकौतुकी: eager for association with a Śabarī woman
• शवरीसंगकौतुकी: Visheshana (of द्विजः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शवरी + संग + कौतुकिन् (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शवरीणां संगः तस्मिन् कौतुकम् यस्य/कौतुकिन्)

Speaker

Vinatā (speaking to Garuḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-kṣetra (frame) / Samudra-islet episode

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vinatā instructs Garuḍa to eat the Śabaras for strength; a separate vignette shows a lustful dvija entangled in dalliance with a Śabarī, signaling moral lapse.

Characters & Entities

• Vinatā
• Garuḍa
• Śabaras
• Amṛta
• Dvija (a brāhmaṇa)
• Śabarī (woman)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The narrative contrasts dharma-driven purpose (liberation and duty) with kāma-driven distraction, foreshadowing moral consequence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha appears in this verse; it functions as route-instruction within the Setukhaṇḍa’s sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is narrative instruction rather than a vrata or tīrtha-ritual.