Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

अहो विचित्रः सं सारो दुर्वेद्यो महतामपि । प्रवरस्त्वपि शक्त्या यो नरेषु न कृपायते

Transliteration

aho vicitraḥ saṃ sāro durvedyo mahatāmapi | pravarastvapi śaktyā yo nareṣu na kṛpāyate

Translation

“Ah, how wondrous is worldly existence—hard to fathom even for the great. Even one who is foremost in power may still show no compassion toward people.”

Word by Word

• अहो: ah! alas!
• अहो: Bhava (Exclamation/विस्मय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: विस्मयार्थक-अव्यय (interjection)

• विचित्रः: strange
• विचित्रः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• सः: that / he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• संसारः: worldly existence
• संसारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• दुर्वेद्यः: hard to understand
• दुर्वेद्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग) + वेद्य (विद् धातु + यत्)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/भाव्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; अर्थः—‘hard to be known’

• महताम्: of the great (people)
• महताम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवादार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• प्रवरः: excellent, foremost
• प्रवरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवादार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• शक्त्या: by power/ability
• शक्त्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• नरेषु: among men
• नरेषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• कृपायते: shows compassion
• कृपायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृपा (नामधातु) / कृपाय् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; नामधातु-प्रयोग—‘to show compassion’

Speaker

Himācala

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Skanda (Kumāra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Himavat speaks a reflective aphorism: the world is strange; even the powerful may lack compassion—his face still wet with tears, gaze turned inward.

Characters & Entities

• Himācala

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power and status are not signs of dharma; compassion (kṛpā) is a key measure of true greatness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is specified; the verse gives a universal dharma reflection.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an ethical observation.