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

Khát ái (tṛṣṇā) được xem là tội lỗi nhất trong mọi tội, luôn gây bất an. Nó đầy dẫy phi pháp (adharma) và kéo theo những hậu quả ghê gớm.

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.