Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 118

Devanagari script

कीटोहमभवं पश्चात्तीरे सारस्वते शुभे । तत्र मार्गे सुखमिव संसुप्तोहं यदृच्छया

Transliteration

kīṭohamabhavaṃ paścāttīre sārasvate śubhe | tatra mārge sukhamiva saṃsuptohaṃ yadṛcchayā

Translation

После этого я стал насекомым на благой береговой полосе Сарасвати. Там, по воле случая, я лежал на дороге, словно мирно уснув.

Word by Word

• कीटः: a worm/insect
• कीटः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• अभवम्: became/was
• अभवम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (afterwards)

• तीरे: on the bank
• तीरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सारस्वते: of the Sarasvatī (river)
• सारस्वते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सारस्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (सरस्वत्याः सम्बन्धि)

• शुभे: auspicious
• शुभे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (there)

• मार्गे: on the path
• मार्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सुखम्: comfort/ease
• सुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचन; उपमान-प्रयोगे

• इव: as if/like
• इव: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमार्थक-अव्यय (like/as if)

• संसुप्तः: fallen asleep
• संसुप्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् (उपसर्ग) + स्वप् (धातु) → संसुप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

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

• यदृच्छया: by chance
• यदृच्छया: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यदृच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (by chance)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (a former human recounting rebirth); within Māheśvara-khaṇḍa typically framed by Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa narrating to sages

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvatī (river)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It underscores transmigration (saṃsāra): a being may fall into very low births, so one should seek dharma and liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The auspicious bank of the Sarasvatī River is highlighted as the setting, a sacred geography motif common in the Skanda Purāṇa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse is narrative, setting up a karmic account connected to sacred place-context.