Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 145

Devanagari script

अनित्यता प्रभावाणामुच्छ्रयाणां च पातनम् । इत्येवमादिभिर्दुःखैर्यस्माद्व्याप्तं चराचरम्

Transliteration

anityatā prabhāvāṇāmucchrayāṇāṃ ca pātanam | ityevamādibhirduḥkhairyasmādvyāptaṃ carācaram

Translation

The powers of the world are impermanent, and every rise ends in a fall. Thus, by such sufferings and the like, all that moves and does not move is pervaded.

Word by Word

• anityatā: impermanence
• anityatā: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anityatā (प्रातिपदिक; a-nitya+tā)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भाववाचक (impermanence)

• prabhāvāṇām: of powers
• prabhāvāṇām: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (of powers/influences)

• ucchrayāṇām: of exaltations/rises
• ucchrayāṇām: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ucchraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (of elevations/rises)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयार्थे)

• pātanam: downfall
• pātanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātana (प्रातिपदिक; √pat पत् (धातु) + णिच् + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (falling/downfall; causing to fall)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (इति-शब्दः; quotation/summary marker)

• evam: in this way
• evam: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रकारार्थे: thus/in this way)

• ādibhiḥ: by such (things) etc.
• ādibhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (with such beginnings/and the like)

• duḥkhaiḥ: by sorrows
• duḥkhaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (by sorrows)

• evamādibhiḥ: by such and similar (things)
• evamādibhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: evam+ādi (प्रातिपदिकसमूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष (evam-vidhaiḥ ādibhiḥ)

• evamādibhirduḥkhaiḥ: by sorrows of this kind
• evamādibhirduḥkhaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: evamādi+duḥkha (प्रातिपदिकसमूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (evamādīni duḥkhāni taiḥ)

• yasmāt: because/from which
• yasmāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (relative pronoun: from which/because)

• vyāptam: pervaded
• vyāptam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyāpta (प्रातिपदिक; vi+√āp आप् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (pervaded)

• carācaram: the moving and the unmoving (world)
• carācaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cara+acara (प्रातिपदिकसमूह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (caraṃ cācaraṃ ca: moving and unmoving beings)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Cosmic panorama: mountains, cities, forests, beings—everything under a subtle veil labeled ‘duḥkha’; above, a luminous, unmoving axis (Śiva-liṅga or Skanda with vel) signifying the nitya beyond rise and fall; a falling crown and collapsing tower symbolize ‘ucchraya-pātana’.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Since all worldly power and rise are transient, recognition of pervasive impermanence fosters disenchantment and spiritual seeking.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular sacred site is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual act is stated; the verse teaches contemplative discernment (viveka) about the world.