Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

द्वौ मार्गौ किल वेदेषु प्रोक्तौ कालोऽर्चिरेव च । अर्चिषा मोक्षमायांति कालमार्गेण कर्मणि

Transliteration

dvau mārgau kila vedeṣu proktau kālo'rcireva ca | arciṣā mokṣamāyāṃti kālamārgeṇa karmaṇi

Translation

Indeed, the Vedas speak of two paths: the path of Time (Kāla) and the path of Light. By the path of Light they attain mokṣa; by the path of Time they return to karma, to action.

Word by Word

• dvau: two
• dvau: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; विशेषणम् (mārgau)

• mārgau: paths
• mārgau: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

• kila: indeed, it is said
• kila: Nipata (निपात/hearsay-emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kila (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात: 'indeed/it is said')

• vedeṣu: in the Vedas
• vedeṣu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• proktau: declared, spoken of
• proktau: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√vac (धातु) + ukta (क्त/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; विशेषणम् (mārgau)

• kālaḥ: Time (path)
• kālaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject; one of the two)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• arciḥ: Flame/Light (path)
• arciḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject; one of the two)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arciṣ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• eva: indeed
• eva: Nipata (निपात/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण/emphasis)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/coord. conjunction)

• arciṣā: by the path of light
• arciṣā: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arciṣ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• mokṣam: liberation
• mokṣam: Gati/Karma (कर्म/goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mokṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• āyānti: they attain/come to
• āyānti: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√yā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• kālamārgeṇa: by the path of Time
• kālamārgeṇa: Karana (करण/instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla + mārga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• karmaṇi: in action/ritual work
• karmaṇi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/sphere)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Garbha (continuing his explanation)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Tāta (father/teacher figure)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic bifurcation: one road lit by flames/rays (arcis) ascending to a luminous realm of liberation; the other road marked by a dark wheel of time leading back to ritual action and rebirth.

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Kāla
• Arcis
• Mokṣa
• Karma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Scripture distinguishes a liberating ‘path of light’ from a ‘path of time’ that leads back into karmic continuity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse is doctrinal, not geographical.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed; it implies the need for spiritual discipline that aligns one with the liberating path.