Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

अथ क्षुधाबलं ज्ञात्वा मामौदरिकसत्तमम् । क्रूरं साहसिकं चैव न स्तौषि क्षमिणां वरः

Transliteration

atha kṣudhābalaṃ jñātvā māmaudarikasattamam | krūraṃ sāhasikaṃ caiva na stauṣi kṣamiṇāṃ varaḥ

Translation

หรือเพราะรู้ว่าพละของเราถูกขับเคลื่อนด้วยความหิว—เราผู้เลิศในหมู่ผู้ตะกละ—จึงเห็นว่าเราดุร้ายและหุนหัน แม้กระนั้น โอ ผู้ประเสริฐในหมู่ผู้ทรหดอดทน เจ้ายังไม่สรรเสริญเรา

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक/प्रारम्भसूचक अव्यय (then/now)

• क्षुधा: of hunger
• क्षुधा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• औदरिका: gluttonous/belly-driven
• औदरिका: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदर (प्रातिपदिक) + ठक्/इक (तद्धित)
• Form: तद्धितान्त विशेषण (औदरिका = उदरसम्बन्धी/उदरप्रधान), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• सत्तमम्: the best/excellent
• सत्तमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तमप् (तद्धित)
• Form: उत्तमत्ववाचक (superlative), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying माम्)

• क्रूरम्: cruel
• क्रूरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying माम्)

• साहसिकम्: rash/violent
• साहसिकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साहसिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying माम्)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphasis)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• स्तौषि: you praise
• स्तौषि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• क्षमिणाम्: of the patient/forbearing ones
• क्षमिणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षमिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• वरः: the best/excellent one
• वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Deducted (contextual): Bhīma (noted for great appetite and might)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata (addressed figure)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The speaker reveals a terrifying aspect—‘foremost among the voracious’—yet stands as protector. The devotee, ‘best among the patient’, hesitates to praise due to fear. The scene contrasts fierce energy (hunger-force) with the virtue of kṣamā.

Characters & Entities

• Kṣamiṇāṃ vara (Yudhiṣṭhira implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Do not reduce a person to faults or temperament; assess dhārmic contribution and respond with fairness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.