Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

किंचिद्विश्वस्य धैर्याच्च सखे किं न श्रुतं त्वया । यथा यथा विवर्णांगो जायते तीर्थयात्रया

Transliteration

kiṃcidviśvasya dhairyācca sakhe kiṃ na śrutaṃ tvayā | yathā yathā vivarṇāṃgo jāyate tīrthayātrayā

Translation

Ami, n’as-tu pas entendu, ne fût-ce qu’un peu, la constance qu’exige le monde? Car lorsqu’on entreprend le pèlerinage vers les tīrthas sacrés, le corps peut, maintes fois, pâlir et s’user.

Word by Word

• किंचित्: something, a little
• किंचित्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः—“something/a little”

• विश्वस्य: of the world / of Viśva (name)
• विश्वस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• धैर्यात्: from/owing to courage
• धैर्यात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धैर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (हेतु/अपादान), एकवचन; “because of courage”

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

• सखे: O friend
• सखे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सखि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (negation particle)

• श्रुतम्: heard
• श्रुतम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग—“has been heard”

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), तृतीया-विभक्ति (कर्ता/करण), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे कर्तृ-निर्देशः—“by you”

• यथा: as, in whatever way
• यथा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (correlative adverb)

• यथा: so, likewise
• यथा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (repetition for emphasis/correlation)

• विवर्णाङ्गः: one whose body becomes discolored/pale
• विवर्णाङ्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विवर्ण + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहि (विवर्णम् अङ्गं यस्य)

• जायते: becomes, is born
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तीर्थयात्रया: by pilgrimage to sacred places
• तीर्थयात्रया: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ + यात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (तीर्थस्य यात्रा)

Speaker

Prāleya (addressing Ūrjayanta)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Prāleya, recovering, admonishes Ūrjayanta with calm firmness: pilgrimage demands steadfastness; the body may grow pale and worn repeatedly.

Characters & Entities

• Prāleya
• Ūrjayanta
• tīrtha-yātrā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is a form of tapas: bodily discomfort is expected, and steadfastness is part of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Tīrtha-yātrā in general is praised here, within the narrative moving toward Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual; the verse teaches the mindset of endurance required for tīrtha-yātrā.