Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 148

Devanagari script

दुःखैराकुलितं ज्ञात्वा निर्वेदं परमाप्नुयात् । निर्वेदाच्च विरागः स्याद्विरागाज्ज्ञानसंभवः

Transliteration

duḥkhairākulitaṃ jñātvā nirvedaṃ paramāpnuyāt | nirvedācca virāgaḥ syādvirāgājjñānasaṃbhavaḥ

Translation

Knowing that the world is agitated by sufferings, one should attain profound disenchantment. From disenchantment arises dispassion, and from dispassion the birth of liberating knowledge.

Word by Word

• दुःखैः: by sufferings
• दुःखैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• आकुलितम्: disturbed; afflicted
• आकुलितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आकुलित (कृदन्त; √कुल्/आकुल् ‘to agitate’, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म) / प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known/realized
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• निर्वेदम्: dispassion; disgust (with worldly life)
• निर्वेदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• परम्: supreme; highest
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying निर्वेदम्)

• आप्नुयात्: should attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• निर्वेदात्: from dispassion
• निर्वेदात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• विरागः: detachment
• विरागः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• स्यात्: would arise/be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• विरागात्: from detachment
• विरागात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन

• ज्ञान-संभवः: the arising of knowledge
• ज्ञान-संभवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + संभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (ज्ञानस्य संभवः)

Speaker

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

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A four-step allegorical path: (1) a world stormed by sorrow, (2) a seeker with downcast eyes in nirveda, (3) the same seeker turning away from temptations (virāga), (4) seated in luminous knowledge (jñāna).

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A clear perception of suffering matures into nirveda, which ripens into vairāgya and culminates in jñāna that leads toward freedom.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse teaches an inner pilgrimage of transformation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No external rite is prescribed; it recommends cultivating insight and dispassion.