Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

एवं प्रवर्तते चक्रं भूतग्रामे चतुर्विधे । उत्पत्तिश्च विनाशश्च भवतः सर्वदेहिनाम्

Transliteration

evaṃ pravartate cakraṃ bhūtagrāme caturvidhe | utpattiśca vināśaśca bhavataḥ sarvadehinām

Translation

Ainsi tourne la roue au sein de l’agrégat quadruple des êtres : pour tous les incarnés adviennent à la fois la naissance et la disparition.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• प्रवर्तते: proceeds/operates
• प्रवर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• चक्रम्: cycle/wheel
• चक्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; अत्र कर्तृपदम् (subject)

• भूतग्रामे: in the aggregate of beings
• भूतग्रामे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (Locative singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भूतानां ग्रामः)

• चतुर्विधे: fourfold
• चतुर्विधे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; ‘भूतग्रामे’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुष (चतुर्णां विधः/प्रकारः)

• उत्पत्तिः: arising/origination
• उत्पत्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्-√पद्/√पत् (धातु) + ति (प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Nominative singular)

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

• विनाशः: destruction
• विनाशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि-√नश् (धातु) + घञ् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Nominative singular)

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

• भवतः: of the becoming/occurring
• भवतः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √भू (धातु) + अत् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/अत्), पुंलिङ्ग षष्ठी एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• सर्वदेहिनाम्: of all embodied beings
• सर्वदेहिनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन (Genitive plural); कर्मधारय (सर्वे देहिनः)

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic voice within Revākhaṇḍa)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king (nṛpa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic wheel (chakra) turning over four classes of beings, with scenes of birth and death around the rim; at the center, a calm sage indicates the still point beyond arising and perishing.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It teaches the inevitability of saṃsāra—birth and death—thereby motivating dharmic action and refuge in sacred means of liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader chapter culminates in Narakeśvara Mahātīrtha on the Narmadā as a means of deliverance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly in this verse.