Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

क्व स्वप्ने नियतं स्थैर्यमिंद्रजाले क्व सत्यता । क्व नित्यता शरन्मेघे क्व शश्वत्त्वं कलेवरे

Transliteration

kva svapne niyataṃ sthairyamiṃdrajāle kva satyatā | kva nityatā śaranmeghe kva śaśvattvaṃ kalevare

Translation

Wo ist im Traum eine gesicherte Beständigkeit? Wo ist in der Zauberillusion Wahrheit? Wo ist Dauer in der Herbstwolke? Und wo ist bleibendes Sein im menschlichen Leib?

Word by Word

• क्व: where (is)
• क्व: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न/निन्दा-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: where?)

• स्वप्ने: in a dream
• स्वप्ने: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वप्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• नियतम्: fixed/certain
• नियतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier)

• स्थैर्यम्: stability
• स्थैर्यम्: Karta (Subject/implicit)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थैर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• इन्द्रजाले: in a magic illusion
• इन्द्रजाले: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रजाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—इन्द्रस्य जालम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• क्व: where (is)
• क्व: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (where?)

• सत्यता: truth/reality
• सत्यता: Karta (Subject/implicit)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); ता-प्रत्ययान्त भाववाचक

• क्व: where (is)
• क्व: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (where?)

• नित्यता: eternity/permanence
• नित्यता: Karta (Subject/implicit)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्यता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); ता-प्रत्ययान्त भाववाचक

• शरन्मेघे: in an autumn cloud
• शरन्मेघे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरत् + मेघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—शरदि मेघः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• क्व: where (is)
• क्व: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (where?)

• शश्वत्त्वम्: everlastingness
• शश्वत्त्वम्: Karta (Subject/implicit)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शश्वत् + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); त्वान्त-भाववाचक

• कलेवरे: in the body
• कलेवरे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलेवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

A Purāṇic teacher (speaker not explicit in the snippet; likely continuing instruction to a grieving listener)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four-panel symbolic tableau: a fading dream scene, a magician’s illusion, an autumn cloud dissolving, and a human figure with a translucent body—each pointing to impermanence.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly life and the body are unstable like dreams, illusions, and clouds; recognizing this supports detachment and equanimity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is named; the verse is a universal reflection used in Purāṇic dharma teaching.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is mentioned; the emphasis is on discrimination (viveka) and dispassion (vairāgya).