Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

एते विशति मुदिता नानाहारविहारिणः । ऊष्मपाः फेनपाश्चैव धूम्रपा मधुपायिनः । मदाहाराः सर्वभक्ष्यास्तथान्ये चाप्यभोजनाः

Transliteration

ete viśati muditā nānāhāravihāriṇaḥ | ūṣmapāḥ phenapāścaiva dhūmrapā madhupāyinaḥ | madāhārāḥ sarvabhakṣyāstathānye cāpyabhojanāḥ

Translation

ଏହି କୁଡ଼ି (ଗଣ) ଆନନ୍ଦିତ ହୋଇ ନାନାପ୍ରକାର ଆହାର-ବିହାର କରି ଘୁରନ୍ତି। କେହି ଉଷ୍ମା ପାନ କରନ୍ତି, କେହି ଫେନ, କେହି ଧୂମ, କେହି ମଧୁ; କେହି ମଦକୁ ଆହାର କରନ୍ତି; କେହି ସର୍ବଭକ୍ଷୀ—ଆଉ କେହି ଭୋଜନ ବିନା ମଧ୍ୟ ରହନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• विशति: twenty
• विशति: Pradhāna-pada (Predicate/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संख्या-शब्द (20)

• मुदिताः: joyful
• मुदिताः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुदित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘gladdened/joyful’

• नानाहारविहारिणः: engaged in various foods and pastimes
• नानाहारविहारिणः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + आहार + विहारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (‘नानाविध-आहार-विहारं ये कुर्वन्ति’)

• ऊष्मपाः: heat-drinkers
• ऊष्मपाः: Karta (Appositional subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊष्म + पा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘ऊष्मं पिबन्ति’)

• फेनपाः: foam-drinkers
• फेनपाः: Karta (Appositional subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फेन + पा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘फेनं पिबन्ति’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic ‘indeed/just’)

• धूम्रपाः: smoke-drinkers
• धूम्रपाः: Karta (Appositional subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धूम्र + पा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘धूम्रं पिबन्ति’)

• मधुपायिनः: honey-drinkers
• मधुपायिनः: Karta (Appositional subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधु + पायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘मधु पिबन्ति’)

• मदाहाराः: those who feed on intoxication
• मदाहाराः: Karta (Appositional subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद + आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘मदः आहारः येषाम्’/‘whose food is intoxication’)

• सर्वभक्ष्याः: eating everything
• सर्वभक्ष्याः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + भक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘सर्वं भक्ष्यं येषाम्’/‘all-eating’)

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

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (‘also/even’)

• अभोजनाः: non-eaters
• अभोजनाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषार्थ (‘non-eaters’/‘without eating’)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa describing Śiva’s gaṇas within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lively, almost surreal procession of twenty exuberant gaṇas: some ‘drink heat’, some foam, smoke, honey; some consume intoxicants; some devour everything; others remain without food—depicting supernatural physiology and ecstatic roaming.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Gaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s gaṇas embody the limitless, wondrous range of divine existence—showing that the Lord’s domain transcends ordinary bodily needs and norms.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; the focus is on the mahimā (greatness) of Śiva’s attendants within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is prescribed here; it is descriptive, emphasizing the extraordinary qualities of the gaṇas.