Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

अविज्ञायान्य सामर्थ्यं स्वसामर्थ्यं प्रदर्शयेत । उपहासमवाप्नोति तथैवायमिहाचलः

Transliteration

avijñāyānya sāmarthyaṃ svasāmarthyaṃ pradarśayeta | upahāsamavāpnoti tathaivāyamihācalaḥ

Translation

Sans comprendre la puissance d’autrui, celui qui étale sa propre force ne récolte que la moquerie. Il en va de même pour cette montagne ici.

Word by Word

• अविज्ञाय: without knowing
• अविज्ञाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): 'not having known/without understanding'

• अन्य: another's
• अन्य: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies सामर्थ्यम्)

• सामर्थ्यम्: capability/power
• सामर्थ्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामर्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• स्व-सामर्थ्यम्: one's own capability
• स्व-सामर्थ्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + सामर्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (स्वस्य सामर्थ्यम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रदर्शयेत: should display
• प्रदर्शयेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√दृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• उपहासम्: ridicule
• उपहासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपहास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अवाप्नोति: attains/gets
• अवाप्नोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'thus/so')

• एव: indeed
• एव: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• अयम्: this (man)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'here')

• अचलः: immovable/steadfast (or 'a mountain' figuratively)
• अचलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अचल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणवत्-प्रयोग (as predicate noun/adjective)

Speaker

Vyāsa (narrative voice; speaker not explicitly marked in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A person boasting and flexing before a vast, immovable mountain; nearby sages smile gently, indicating the folly; the mountain’s presence feels sentient and superior.

Characters & Entities

• Acala (mountain, unnamed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True strength is joined with discernment and humility; boastful display without understanding leads to disgrace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha appears in this verse; it references a mountain within the ongoing story.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.