Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 151

Devanagari script

अविद्यायनमत्युग्रं नानाकर्मातिशाखिनम् । संकल्पदंशमकरं शोकहर्षहिमातपम्

Transliteration

avidyāyanamatyugraṃ nānākarmātiśākhinam | saṃkalpadaṃśamakaraṃ śokaharṣahimātapam

Translation

C’est un terrible véhicule d’ignorance, aux actes multiples comme des branches qui s’étendent ; aux intentions semblables à des taons mordants et à des requins ; et dont le chagrin et la joie sont comme le froid et la chaleur.

Word by Word

• अविद्या: ignorance
• अविद्या: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण-आधार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (feminine, nominative/accusative singular; compound-member stem)

• आयनम्: path; course; abode
• आयनम्: Viśeṣya (Qualified noun/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular; compound-member stem)

• अति: excessively; very
• अति: Viśeṣaṇa (Intensifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय (prefix-like intensifier)

• उग्रम्: fierce; terrible
• उग्रम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular)

• नाना: various; many kinds of
• नाना: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial qualifier)

• कर्म: action; deed
• कर्म: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular; compound-member stem)

• अति: excessively
• अति: Viśeṣaṇa (Intensifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय (intensifier)

• शाखिनम्: branching; having branches
• शाखिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाखिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, accusative singular; used adjectivally)

• संकल्प: mental resolve; intention
• संकल्प: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, nominative/accusative singular; compound-member stem)

• दंश: bite; sting
• दंश: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, nominative/accusative singular; compound-member stem)

• मकरम्: crocodile; sea-monster
• मकरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, accusative singular)

• शोक: grief
• शोक: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, nominative/accusative singular; compound-member stem)

• हर्ष: joy
• हर्ष: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, nominative/accusative singular; compound-member stem)

• हिम: cold; frost
• हिम: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular; compound-member stem)

• आतपम्: heat; sunshine (as part of the set: grief-joy-cold-heat)
• आतपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आतप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, accusative singular); समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (collective dvandva) in शोक-हर्ष-हिम-आतप

Speaker

Narrative description continuing the seeker’s allegory (within Sūta’s narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic chariot/vehicle made of dark ignorance, with branching limbs of many actions; swarming ‘saṅkalpa’ as stinging insects and sharks; alternating bands of icy grief and scorching joy around a traveler seeking exit.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Saṃsāra is driven by ignorance and mental constructions; karma proliferates, and emotional extremes become the climate of bondage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse builds a metaphor for worldly existence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is mentioned; the focus is on diagnosing the inner causes of bondage.