Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

नैवास्तमनमर्कस्य नोदयः सर्वदा सतः । उदयास्तमनाक्यं हि दर्शनादर्शनं रवेः

Transliteration

naivāstamanamarkasya nodayaḥ sarvadā sataḥ | udayāstamanākyaṃ hi darśanādarśanaṃ raveḥ

Translation

إنَّ الشمسَ، القائمةَ أبدًا في الوجود، لا غروبَ لها ولا شروقَ على الحقيقة. وما يسمّيه الناسُ شروقًا وغروبًا إنما هو ظهورُ رَفِيٍّ (رَوي) واختفاؤه عن أبصارنا.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Avyaya (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• एव: indeed; at all
• एव: Sambandha/Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

• अस्तमनम्: setting (sunset)
• अस्तमनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्तमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• अर्कस्य: of the Sun
• अर्कस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• न: nor
• न: Sambandha/Avyaya (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• उदयः: rising (sunrise)
• उदयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Sambandha/Avyaya (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• सतः: of the existent (one)
• सतः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘विद्यमान’ अर्थे

• उदयास्तमनाख्यम्: what is called ‘rising and setting’
• उदयास्तमनाख्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदय + अस्तमन + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (उदयास्तमनम् आख्यं यस्य/यत्)

• हि: for; indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक निपात

• दर्शनादर्शनम्: appearance and disappearance
• दर्शनादर्शनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन + अदर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (दर्शनं च अदर्शनं च)

• रवेः: of the Sun
• रवेः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa Sūta (deduced; Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration to sages)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍava (implied continuation of address)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two horizons shown simultaneously: on one side Sūrya ‘rising’, on the other ‘setting’, while above them a single constant solar orb shines—illustrating that change is in viewpoint; sages meditate in the center.

Characters & Entities

• Arka
• Ravi
• Sūrya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reality is steady while perception changes; the Sun’s ‘rise’ and ‘set’ teach discernment between truth and appearance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it is a universal cosmological clarification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the idea supports contemplative Sūrya-upāsanā and meditation on the steady Self beyond appearances.