Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

एकदा मृगयाकेलिलोलुपः स महीपतिः । विवेश गह्वरं घोरं बलेन महतावृतः

Transliteration

ekadā mṛgayākelilolupaḥ sa mahīpatiḥ | viveśa gahvaraṃ ghoraṃ balena mahatāvṛtaḥ

Translation

ایک بار وہ مہیبتی، شکار کی کھیل تماشے کا شوقین ہو کر، بڑی فوج کے حصار میں، غار جیسے ہولناک گھنے جنگل کی گہرائی میں داخل ہوا۔

Word by Word

• एकदा: once
• एकदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• मृगयाकेलिलोलुपः: greedy for the sport of hunting
• मृगयाकेलिलोलुपः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृगया (प्रातिपदिक) + केलि (प्रातिपदिक) + लोलुप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष): मृगयायाः केल्यां लोलुपः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; (eager for sport of hunting)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; (he)

• महीपतिः: the king
• महीपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): मह्याः पतिः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; (king)

• विवेश: entered
• विवेश: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; (entered)

• गह्वरम्: a cave/gorge
• गह्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गह्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; (cave/gorge)

• घोरम्: terrible
• घोरम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; (terrible), गह्वरम्-विशेषण

• बलेन: with strength
• बलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; (with force/strength)

• महतā: great
• महतā: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; बल-विशेषण (by great...)

• आवृतः: surrounded
• आवृतः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-वृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; (surrounded/covered)

Speaker

Narrator (not specified in the excerpt; likely the Purāṇic narrator within Brāhma Khaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king on a chariot with bow, surrounded by soldiers and hunters, entering a dark, cavernous forest corridor; twisted trees, rocky overhangs like a cave-mouth, ominous shadows.

Characters & Entities

• mahīpati (king)
• bala (army/retinue)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Attachment to thrill and sport can draw even the powerful into peril; Purāṇic narratives often use such turns to introduce moral consequence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it sets the scene in a frightening forest region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is narrative scene-setting.