Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 92

Devanagari script

ततश्चित्राकृतिरहं स्तम्भितो मुनिनाऽभवम् । व्रीडितं प्रविशामीव स्वांगानि किल लज्जया

Transliteration

tataścitrākṛtirahaṃ stambhito muninā'bhavam | vrīḍitaṃ praviśāmīva svāṃgāni kila lajjayā

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ഞാൻ വിചിത്രമായ വികൃതരൂപം ധരിച്ചു; മുനിയാൽ ഞാൻ സ്തംഭിതനായി. ലജ്ജകൊണ്ട് ഞാൻ ചുരുങ്ങി, സ്വന്തം അവയവങ്ങളിലേക്കുതന്നെ പ്രവേശിക്കുവാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നതുപോലെ തോന്നി.

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb; अर्थः—अनन्तरम् (thereafter)

• चित्राकृतिः: a strange/variegated form
• चित्राकृतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र-आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (चित्रा आकृतिः)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• स्तम्भितः: was immobilized
• स्तम्भितः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तम्भ् (धातु) → स्तम्भित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अर्थः—स्तब्धीकृतः (made motionless)

• मुनिना: by the sage
• मुनिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-निर्देश (by the sage)

• अभवम्: I became/was
• अभवम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• व्रीडितम्: ashamed
• व्रीडितम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रीड् (धातु) → व्रीडित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (as an adverbial accusative: ‘ashamedly’)

• प्रविशामि: I enter
• प्रविशामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इव: as if
• इव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपमा-सूचक) = indeclinable particle of comparison

• स्वाङ्गानि: one's own limbs
• स्वाङ्गानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य अङ्गानि)

• किल: indeed
• किल: Prayojaka (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle) = emphasis/reportive (‘indeed’, ‘as is said’)

• लज्जया: from/with shame
• लज्जया: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लज्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; हेतौ/करणे (out of/with shame)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (likely the offender speaking in first person within the recited story)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wrongdoer is suddenly frozen by a sage’s power, body twisted into an unnatural posture; the figure’s face shows burning shame, as if trying to fold inward into his own limbs, while the ascetic stands firm and radiant.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wrongdoing brings inner humiliation; dharma acts not only externally through punishment but internally through conscience and shame.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No sacred site is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.