Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

पुंसामज्ञातदोषेण नानाकर्मवशेन च । यथा गिरिवराक्रांतः कश्चिद्दुःखेन तिष्ठति

Transliteration

puṃsāmajñātadoṣeṇa nānākarmavaśena ca | yathā girivarākrāṃtaḥ kaścidduḥkhena tiṣṭhati

Translation

Par ignorance de ses propres fautes, et sous la contrainte de karmas multiples, les hommes demeurent dans la souffrance, tels quelqu’un écrasé sous une haute montagne, incapable de se relever.

Word by Word

• पुंसाम्: of men/of people
• पुंसाम्: Sambandha (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस्/पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (masculine, genitive plural)

• अज्ञातदोषेण: due to an unknown defect
• अज्ञातदोषेण: Karana (instrument/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञात + दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—अज्ञातः दोषः यस्य/येन (masculine, instrumental sg; ‘by/with an unknown fault’)

• नाना: various
• नाना: Visheshana (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः; बहुविधार्थक (indeclinable used adjectivally: various)

• कर्म: actions/karma
• कर्म: Compound member
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (stem in compound)

• वशेन: by the power of (karma)
• वशेन: Karana (cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—नाना-कर्म-वश (masculine, instrumental sg; ‘by the force/control of various actions’)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction: and)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Upamāna-dyotaka (simile marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकार (indeclinable: as/just as)

• गिरिवर: a great mountain
• गिरिवर: Compound member
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; कर्मधारयः—वरः गिरिः (stem in compound: ‘excellent mountain’)

• आक्रान्तः: overwhelmed/pressed down
• आक्रान्तः: Visheshana (qualifier of ‘कश्चित्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masculine nominative sg: ‘overpowered/pressed’)

• कश्चित्: someone
• कश्चित्: Karta (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (indefinite pronoun: someone)

• दुःखेन: with suffering/painfully
• दुःखेन: Karana (instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (neuter, instrumental sg)

• तिष्ठति: stands/remains
• तिष्ठति: Kriya (predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A person lies pinned beneath a stylized mountain labeled ‘karma’ and ‘avidyā’, while a teacher points toward a path of light leading to a Śiva emblem (liṅga or trident), indicating liberation through insight and practice.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Unrecognized faults and karmic compulsion keep beings pinned in suffering; self-awareness is a step toward release.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy place is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; the emphasis is ethical-spiritual introspection and freedom from karmic compulsion.