Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

विनाशकालं चावेक्ष्य कलिं वर्धयते यतः । सत्यं च वक्ति तस्मात्स न च पापेन लिप्यते

Transliteration

vināśakālaṃ cāvekṣya kaliṃ vardhayate yataḥ | satyaṃ ca vakti tasmātsa na ca pāpena lipyate

Translation

তিনি বিনাশকালের নিয়তি পূর্বেই দেখে (লীলা করে) কলিকে প্রবল হতে দেন, এবং তিনি কেবল সত্যই বলেন; তাই তিনি পাপে লিপ্ত হন না।

Word by Word

• विनाशकालम्: the time of destruction
• विनाशकालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनाश (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विनाशस्य कालः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (and)

• अवेक्ष्य: having observed
• अवेक्ष्य: Kriya (Gerundial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund); धातुः ईक्ष् (to see)

• कलिम्: Kali (age/strife)
• कलिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वर्धयते: increases
• वर्धयते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; causative sense in usage ‘makes grow/increases’

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कारणार्थ (because/since)

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मरूपेण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (and)

• वक्ति: speaks
• वक्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason/therefore)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-रूपेण अव्ययीभाव/निपातवत् प्रयोगः; अपादान/हेतुअर्थ (therefore/from that)

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

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (and)

• पापेन: by sin
• पापेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लिप्यते: is tainted
• लिप्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive) ‘is tainted’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada stands as a witness to time: behind him a wheel of yugas turns, with Kali’s dark segment advancing; yet his speech appears as a bright, straight line (satya) shielding him from stain.

Characters & Entities

• Kali

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Truthfulness and clear discernment keep a devotee unstained by pāpa, even amid Kali’s turbulence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; the focus is ethical praise within Nārada-stuti.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed here; the emphasis is on satya (truth) and purity from sin.