Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

किंचिद्विश्वस्य धैर्याच्च सखे किं न श्रुतं त्वया । यथा यथा विवर्णांगो जायते तीर्थयात्रया

Transliteration

kiṃcidviśvasya dhairyācca sakhe kiṃ na śrutaṃ tvayā | yathā yathā vivarṇāṃgo jāyate tīrthayātrayā

Translation

Friend, have you not heard—even a little—of the steadfast endurance required in this world? For when one sets out on pilgrimage to the sacred tīrthas, the body may again and again grow pale and worn.

Word by Word

• किंचित्: something, a little
• किंचित्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः—“something/a little”

• विश्वस्य: of the world / of Viśva (name)
• विश्वस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• धैर्यात्: from/owing to courage
• धैर्यात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धैर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (हेतु/अपादान), एकवचन; “because of courage”

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• सखे: O friend
• सखे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (negation particle)

• श्रुतम्: heard
• श्रुतम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग—“has been heard”

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), तृतीया-विभक्ति (कर्ता/करण), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे कर्तृ-निर्देशः—“by you”

• यथा: as, in whatever way
• यथा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (correlative adverb)

• यथा: so, likewise
• यथा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (repetition for emphasis/correlation)

• विवर्णाङ्गः: one whose body becomes discolored/pale
• विवर्णाङ्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विवर्ण + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहि (विवर्णम् अङ्गं यस्य)

• जायते: becomes, is born
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तीर्थयात्रया: by pilgrimage to sacred places
• तीर्थयात्रया: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ + यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (तीर्थस्य यात्रा)

Speaker

Prāleya (addressing Ūrjayanta)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Prāleya, recovering, admonishes Ūrjayanta with calm firmness: pilgrimage demands steadfastness; the body may grow pale and worn repeatedly.

Characters & Entities

• Prāleya
• Ūrjayanta
• tīrtha-yātrā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is a form of tapas: bodily discomfort is expected, and steadfastness is part of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Tīrtha-yātrā in general is praised here, within the narrative moving toward Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual; the verse teaches the mindset of endurance required for tīrtha-yātrā.