Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 179

Devanagari script

वर्णाश्रमव्यवस्था च तदासीन्न हि संकरः । एकमन्यं न ध्यायंति परमं ते सदा शिवम्

Transliteration

varṇāśramavyavasthā ca tadāsīnna hi saṃkaraḥ | ekamanyaṃ na dhyāyaṃti paramaṃ te sadā śivam

Translation

Damals bestand die Ordnung von Varṇa und Āśrama, und es gab keine Vermischung der Pflichten. Sie meditierten über nichts anderes — jene Menschen gedachten stets allein des höchsten Śiva.

Word by Word

• वर्ण-आश्रम-व्यवस्था: the arrangement of varṇas and āśramas
• वर्ण-आश्रम-व्यवस्था: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + व्यवस्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (वर्णाश्रमयोः व्यवस्था)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• तत्: then; at that time
• तत्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (अधिकरण/कालवाचक-प्रयोगे)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis)

• संकरः: mixture; confusion (of classes)
• संकरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अन्यम्: another
• अन्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• ध्यायन्ति: they meditate upon
• ध्यायन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Mahākāla

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A community performing their respective duties—teaching, protection, trade, service—yet all facing a central Śiva-liṅga or a radiant Śiva form; visual unity through shared gaze and mantra posture.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Varṇāśrama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Stable dharma arises from clarity of duty and single-pointed devotion; in the ideal age, minds rest in the Supreme Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse emphasizes Śiva-centered contemplation and social-spiritual order.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It implies dhyāna (meditation) on the Supreme Śiva as the defining practice of that age.