Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

सिंहव्याघ्रैस्तथा चान्यैः पतिता नष्टचेतनाः । भक्ष्यंते चेतयन्तोऽपि तथाऽन्ये चलनाक्षमाः

Transliteration

siṃhavyāghraistathā cānyaiḥ patitā naṣṭacetanāḥ | bhakṣyaṃte cetayanto'pi tathā'nye calanākṣamāḥ

Translation

ചിലർ സിംഹ-വ്യാഘ്രാദി മൃഗങ്ങൾ വീഴ്ത്തി ബോധം നഷ്ടപ്പെട്ട നിലയിൽ തന്നെ ഭക്ഷിക്കപ്പെട്ടു; മറ്റുചിലർ ബോധമുള്ളവരായിട്ടും നീങ്ങാൻ കഴിയാതെ, അവരും ഇരയായി।

Word by Word

• सिंहव्याघ्रैः: by lions and tigers
• सिंहव्याघ्रैः: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह (प्रातिपदिक) + व्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन (masculine, instrumental plural)

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थे (indeclinable; ‘and also’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (indeclinable; conjunction ‘and’)

• अन्यैः: by others
• अन्यैः: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (masc/neut instrumental plural; adjective)

• पतिताः: fallen
• पतिताः: Karta (Subject/undergoer)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु) → पतित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (past participle; masculine nominative plural; adjective)

• नष्टचेतनाः: having lost consciousness
• नष्टचेतनाः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नष्ट (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + चेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (masculine nominative plural; adjective)

• भक्ष्यन्ते: are devoured
• भक्ष्यन्ते: Kriya (Passive action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (Present, 3rd person plural, ātmanepada; passive sense ‘are eaten’)

• चेतयन्तः: even while being conscious/sensing
• चेतयन्तः: Karta (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चेतय् (धातु) → चेतयन्त् (शतृ-कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (present participle; masculine nominative plural; adjective)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थे/अवधारणे (indeclinable; ‘even/also’)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थे (indeclinable; ‘likewise/also’)

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन (masculine, nominative plural)

• चलनाक्षमाः: unable to move
• चलनाक्षमाः: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चलन (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (masculine nominative plural; adjective)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grim forest scene: fallen travelers, lions and tigers emerging from scrub, some victims unconscious, others conscious but immobile; dust and shadow dominate, conveying sudden violence.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse underscores the fragility of life and the urgency of dharma; in tīrtha-māhātmya contexts, such crisis prepares for the saving power of sacred place and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not identified in this verse; it depicts the narrative low point before the tīrtha’s significance becomes manifest.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.