Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

यथा ते नैव मर्यादां संत्यजंति दुराशयाः । एतैस्तस्मात्समाक्रांतः शरण्यं पावकिं व्रजेत्

Transliteration

yathā te naiva maryādāṃ saṃtyajaṃti durāśayāḥ | etaistasmātsamākrāṃtaḥ śaraṇyaṃ pāvakiṃ vrajet

Translation

ସେହି ଦୁରାଶୟ ସତ୍ତ୍ୱମାନେ କେବେ ନିଜ ମର୍ଯ୍ୟାଦା ଛାଡ଼ନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ; ତେଣୁ ସେମାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ପୀଡ଼ିତ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତି ଶରଣଦାତା ପାବକିଙ୍କ ଶରଣକୁ ଯାଉ।

Word by Word

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Correlative/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपमान/प्रकार) — ‘as/how’

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध)

• एव: at all/indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण) — emphasis

• मर्यादाम्: boundary/limit
• मर्यादाम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्यादा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• संत्यजन्ति: abandon
• संत्यजन्ति: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + √त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• दुराशयाः: evil-intentioned (ones)
• दुराशयाः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुराशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (दुरः आशयः येषाम्)

• एतैः: by these
• एतैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (अव्यय; तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: अव्यय (हेतु/तस्मात्) — ‘therefore/from that’

• समाक्रान्तः: overpowered/afflicted
• समाक्रान्तः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + √क्रम् (धातु) + क्त
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; (आक्रान्तः = afflicted/overpowered)

• शरण्यम्: a refuge-giver
• शरण्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पावकिम्)

• पावकिम्: Pāvaki
• पावकिम्: Karma (Object/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावकि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• व्रजेत्: should go
• व्रजेत्: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa Sūta (deduced for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee or afflicted person approaches Pāvaki in supplication; behind, shadowy beings linger at the edge of their domain, unable to cross the protective aura; the protector stands calm, granting shelter.

Characters & Entities

• Pāvaki
• Unmāda
• Apasmāra
• Piśācas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When afflicted, turn to a recognized divine refuge rather than panic—dharma teaches shelter under higher guardianship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse; the broader chapter later highlights the Mahī river’s greatness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The instruction is devotional: ‘vrajet’—one should approach/seek refuge in Pāvaki; no detailed rite is described.