Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

ऋषींश्च देवांश्च महासुरांश्च त्रैविद्यविद्यान्पुरुषान्नृपांश्च । कान्मृत्युरेको न पतेत काले परावरज्ञोऽत्र न मुह्यते क्वचित्

Transliteration

ṛṣīṃśca devāṃśca mahāsurāṃśca traividyavidyānpuruṣānnṛpāṃśca | kānmṛtyureko na pateta kāle parāvarajño'tra na muhyate kvacit

Translation

Sages, gods, great asuras, masters of the threefold Vedic lore, men, and kings—upon whom does the one Death not fall when the time arrives? One who knows what is higher and lower, the true order of things, is never deluded here.

Word by Word

• ṛṣīn: sages
• ṛṣīn: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• devān: gods
• devān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• mahāsurān: great demons
• mahāsurān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘महान्तः असुराः’

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• traividyavidyān: the Vedic sciences (of the three Vedas)
• traividyavidyān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: traividya (प्रातिपदिक) + vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘त्रैविद्यस्य विद्याḥ’ (the knowledges of the three Vedas)

• puruṣān: men/persons
• puruṣān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• nṛpān: kings
• nṛpān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• kān: whom (which ones)
• kān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• mṛtyuḥ: death
• mṛtyuḥ: Karta/Subject (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• ekaḥ: alone/single
• ekaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival to mṛtyuḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (mṛtyuḥ)

• na: not
• na: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• patet: would fall upon/strike
• patet: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pat (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/सम्भावना), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• kāle: at the time
• kāle: Adhikaraṇa (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• parāvarajñaḥ: one who knows the higher and the lower
• parāvarajñaḥ: Karta/Subject (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + avara (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (कृदन्त; √jñā (धातु))
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘परं चावरं च जानाति’/‘परावरयोः ज्ञः’ = knower of higher and lower

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• na: not
• na: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• muhyate: is deluded
• muhyate: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √muh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• kvacit: ever/anywhere
• kvacit: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kvacit (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/देशवाचक अव्यय (indefinite adverb)

Speaker

Kāmakhyā Devī

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhāratarṣabha (royal listener addressed in adjacent verses)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic tableau showing representatives—ṛṣis, devas, asuras, Vedic scholars, kings—standing under the shadow of a single looming figure of Kāla/Mṛtyu, while a serene knower stands unshaken.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis
• Devas
• Asuras
• Nṛpas (kings)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All beings are subject to Kāla; wisdom lies in understanding the true hierarchy of reality and remaining undeluded.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; it is a universal reflection on mortality.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a teaching intended to cultivate discernment and steadiness.