Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 152

Devanagari script

मोहांधकारतिमिरं लोभव्यालसरीसृपम् । विषयानन्यथाध्वानं कामक्रोधविमोक्षकम्

Transliteration

mohāṃdhakāratimiraṃ lobhavyālasarīsṛpam | viṣayānanyathādhvānaṃ kāmakrodhavimokṣakam

Translation

ഇതിൽ മോഹത്തിന്റെ അന്ധകാര-തിമിരം മൂടിയിരിക്കുന്നു; ലോഭം സർപ്പസദൃശമായ വ്യാള-സരീസൃപം. ഇതിന്റെ പാത അനിവാര്യമായി വിഷയങ്ങളിലേക്കേ നീങ്ങുന്നു; കാമ–ക്രോധങ്ങളുടെ ഉഗ്രവേഗം കൊണ്ടാണ് അത് വിടുതൽ നേടി വീണ്ടും മുന്നോട്ട് തള്ളപ്പെടുന്നത്.

Word by Word

• मोह: delusion
• मोह: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, nominative/accusative singular; compound-member stem)

• अन्धकार: darkness
• अन्धकार: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्धकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, nominative/accusative singular; compound-member stem)

• तिमिरम्: gloom; darkness (as a set)
• तिमिरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिमिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, accusative singular); समाहार-द्वन्द्वः in मोह-अन्धकार-तिमिर

• लोभ: greed
• लोभ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, nominative/accusative singular; compound-member stem)

• व्याल: wild beast; serpent
• व्याल: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, nominative/accusative singular; compound-member stem)

• सरीसृपम्: creeping reptile
• सरीसृपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरीसृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, accusative singular); कर्मधारयः/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः in लोभ-व्याल-सरीसृप (a creeping beast of greed)

• विषय: sense-objects
• विषय: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (masculine, nominative/accusative plural; compound-member stem)

• अन्यथा: otherwise; differently
• अन्यथा: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• अध्वानम्: path; road
• अध्वानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, accusative singular); षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः in विषय-अन्यथा-अध्वान (a path of distorted sense-objects)

• काम: desire
• काम: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, nominative/accusative singular; compound-member stem)

• क्रोध: anger
• क्रोध: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, nominative/accusative singular; compound-member stem)

• विमोक्षकम्: releaser; means of release
• विमोक्षकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि+मुच् (धातु) + ण्वुल्/क (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक: विमोक्षक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, accusative singular); कृदन्त-नाम (agent/instrument noun)

Speaker

Narrative description continuing the seeker’s allegory (within Sūta’s narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tunnel of thick darkness labeled ‘moha’, with coiling serpents of greed; a road that bends irresistibly toward glittering sense-objects; a figure being flung forward by twin forces—desire and anger—like winds or demons pushing from behind.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Delusion and greed create danger, while desire and anger propel the being toward sense-objects; recognizing these forces is the start of liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred geography is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual practice is stated; the teaching is ethical and introspective.