Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

तृष्णा हि सर्वपापिष्ठा नित्योद्वेगकरी मता । अधर्मबहुला चैव घोररूपानुबंधिनी

Transliteration

tṛṣṇā hi sarvapāpiṣṭhā nityodvegakarī matā | adharmabahulā caiva ghorarūpānubaṃdhinī

Translation

ତୃଷ୍ଣା ସମସ୍ତ ପାପମଧ୍ୟରେ ସର୍ବାଧିକ ପାପିଷ୍ଠ ବୋଲି ମନାଯାଏ; ଏହା ସଦା ଉଦ୍ବେଗ ଜନ୍ମାଏ। ଏହା ଅଧର୍ମରେ ପ୍ରଚୁର ଏବଂ ଭୟଙ୍କର ପରିଣାମକୁ ଅନୁସରେ।

Word by Word

• तृष्णा: craving, thirst (desire)
• तृष्णा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृष्णा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• सर्वपापिष्ठा: most sinful of all
• सर्वपापिष्ठा: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + पापिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (superlative: ‘most sinful’)

• नित्योद्वेगकरी: causing constant agitation
• नित्योद्वेगकरी: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य + उद्वेग + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• मता: considered (to be)
• मता: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन् (धातु) → मत (कृदन्त/PPP)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), ‘considered/held to be’

• अधर्मबहुला: abounding in unrighteousness
• अधर्मबहुला: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधर्म + बहुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: certainly, indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• घोररूपानुबंधिनी: attended by dreadful forms (having dreadful consequences)
• घोररूपानुबंधिनी: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर + रूप + अनुबन्धिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative ascetic or pilgrim stands at a Śaiva tīrtha, seeing a shadowy figure of ‘Tṛṣṇā’ as a dark, restless presence causing agitation; behind, a serene liṅga and calm waters symbolize śānti.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Insatiable craving is a root of sin and distress; it multiplies adharma and brings painful outcomes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is praised here; the focus is moral psychology within dharma teaching.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is stated; the instruction is to abandon tṛṣṇā through self-discipline.