Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

निर्वैरेण समेनाथ सुखदुःखभवाभवैः । ब्रह्मादिकीटपर्यन्तं किमेव क्लिश्यते जगत्

Transliteration

nirvaireṇa samenātha sukhaduḥkhabhavābhavaiḥ | brahmādikīṭaparyantaṃ kimeva kliśyate jagat

Translation

يا ربّ، أنتَ بلا عداوةٍ ومتكافئٌ في نظرك إلى الجميع. ومع ذلك، عبر اللذّة والألم، وعبر الولادة واللاولادة، لِمَ يُبتلى العالمُ بالعناء—من براهما إلى أصغر حشرة؟

Word by Word

• निर्वैरेण: with/by (one who is) without enmity
• निर्वैरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-वैर (प्रातिपदिक; निर् + वैर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (Instrumental singular, masculine)

• समेन: equal/neutral
• समेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (Instrumental singular, masculine)

• नाथ: O Lord
• नाथ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन (8th) एकवचनम् (Vocative singular)

• सुखदुःखभवाभवैः: with pleasure, pain, existence and non-existence
• सुखदुःखभवाभवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख-दुःख-भव-अभव (प्रातिपदिक; सुख + दुःख + भव + अभव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम् (Instrumental plural, neuter; copulative compound)

• ब्रह्मादिकीटपर्यन्तम्: up to Brahmā and down to insects
• ब्रह्मादिकीटपर्यन्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म-आदि-कीट-पर्यन्त (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्म + आदि + कीट + पर्यन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; अव्ययीभावार्थे सीमाबोधक-तत्पुरुषः; विशेषणम् (Accusative singular, neuter; 'up to')

• किम्: why?/what?
• किम्: Sambandha (Question/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्ययप्रयोगः (interrogative particle)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्ययम् (emphatic particle)

• क्लिश्यते: is tormented/suffers
• क्लिश्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्लिश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (Present, 3rd sg, Ātmanepada; passive: 'is afflicted')

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, neuter)

Speaker

Nandabhadra (within Nārada’s narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic hierarchy of beings—Brahmā above, humans mid, insects below—linked by a single thread of suffering (pleasure/pain cycles), while the Lord stands serene and equal.

Characters & Entities

• Nātha (Śiva implied)
• Brahmā
• Kīṭa
• Sukha
• Duḥkha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Suffering is confronted as a universal condition, inviting deeper understanding of karma and grace through devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Implied setting is Kapileśvara at Bahūdaka-kuṇḍa; the verse itself discusses universal suffering.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is part of a devotional inquiry (gāthā/stotra).