Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

परंतु प्रलये जाते सर्वतस्तमसा वृतम् । आसीदेकं तदा ब्रह्म निर्गुणं बीजमव्ययम्

Transliteration

paraṃtu pralaye jāte sarvatastamasā vṛtam | āsīdekaṃ tadā brahma nirguṇaṃ bījamavyayam

Translation

« Mais lorsque survint le pralaya, et que tout fut enveloppé de ténèbres de toutes parts, alors il n’y avait que le Brahman, sans attributs : semence impérissable, immuable. »

Word by Word

• paramtu: however
• paramtu: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paramtu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोधार्थक-अव्यय (adversative particle: but/however)

• pralaye: at dissolution
• pralaye: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pralaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• jāte: having occurred
• jāte: Adhikaraṇa (Locative absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular), पुं/नपुंसक; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute): 'when (it) had occurred'

• sarvatas: everywhere
• sarvatas: Deśa (Spatial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvatas (अव्यय)
• Form: दिशावाचक-अव्यय (adverb: on all sides/everywhere)

• tamasā: by darkness
• tamasā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• vṛtam: covered
• vṛtam: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• āsīt: was
• āsīt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• ekam: one
• ekam: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying 'brahma')

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: then)

• brahma: Brahman
• brahma: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); अत्र प्रथमा (subject of 'āsīt')

• nirguṇam: without qualities
• nirguṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir (उपसर्ग) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying 'brahma')

• bījam: seed
• bījam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bīja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); समनाधिकरण (apposition to 'brahma')

• avyayam: imperishable
• avyayam: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a (नञ्) + vyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying 'brahma/bījam')

Speaker

Śiva

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Skanda

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau: all directions veiled in darkness at pralaya; within it, a subtle, formless radiance signifies the lone nirguṇa Brahman as imperishable seed—suggested rather than anthropomorphized.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Brahman
• Pralaya
• Tamas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Beyond cosmic change stands the imperishable Absolute; remembering this steadies faith amid impermanence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named in this verse; it provides cosmic background supporting the māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a doctrinal statement about dissolution and the imperishable source.