Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

भ्रममाणं गृहीताहिं वध्यमानं निरामिषैः । परस्परं च युयुधुः सर्वेऽप्यामिषकाङ्क्षया

Transliteration

bhramamāṇaṃ gṛhītāhiṃ vadhyamānaṃ nirāmiṣaiḥ | parasparaṃ ca yuyudhuḥ sarve'pyāmiṣakāṅkṣayā

Translation

அது சுற்றிச் சுழன்று பாம்பை பிடித்திருந்தது; மாம்சமில்லாத மற்ற பறவைகள் அதைத் தாக்கின. மாம்ச ஆசையால் தூண்டப்பட்டு அவர்கள் அனைவரும் ஒருவரோடு ஒருவர் போரிட்டனர்.

Word by Word

• भ्रममाणम्: wandering/whirling
• भ्रममाणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रम् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्यय (present middle participle), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (to kuraram)

• गृहीताहिम्: holding a snake
• गृहीताहिम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गृहीत (√ग्रह् + क्त) + अहि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (गृहीतः अहिः येन/यस्य = holding a snake); द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• वध्यमानम्: being attacked/killed
• वध्यमानम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वध् (धातु) + यमान (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि-प्रयोगे वर्तमानकृदन्त (being killed/struck), पुं/नपुंसक, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• निरामिषैः: by those without flesh (meatless ones)
• निरामिषैः: Karana (Agent/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरामिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• परस्परम्: mutually/with each other
• परस्परम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्परम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (reciprocal adverb)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• युयुधुः: fought
• युयुधुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-निपात (particle: 'also/even')

• आमिषकाङ्क्षया: due to desire for flesh
• आमिषकाङ्क्षया: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आमिष + काङ्क्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष-समास (आमिषस्य काङ्क्षा)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhṛgutunga-kunda (contextual)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An osprey circles with a serpent in its grasp while other birds attack; midair struggle, flapping wings, and chaotic motion depict the frenzy of craving; the king witnesses from below.

Characters & Entities

• Kurara (osprey/eagle)
• Ahi (serpent)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Craving (kāma) generates conflict: beings contend and injure each other for fleeting gain, a pattern the tīrtha narrative will soon overturn through grace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The conflict is witnessed in the vicinity of the kuṇḍa tīrtha on/near Bhṛgutunga within the Revā-kṣetra account.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse functions as moral setup within the tīrtha-māhātmya episode.