Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

विनाशकालं चावेक्ष्य कलिं वर्धयते यतः । सत्यं च वक्ति तस्मात्स न च पापेन लिप्यते

Transliteration

vināśakālaṃ cāvekṣya kaliṃ vardhayate yataḥ | satyaṃ ca vakti tasmātsa na ca pāpena lipyate

Translation

Parce qu’il prévoit le temps fixé de la dissolution et laisse ainsi le Kali suivre son cours, et parce qu’il ne dit que la vérité, il n’est pas souillé par le péché.

Word by Word

• विनाशकालम्: the time of destruction
• विनाशकालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनाश (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विनाशस्य कालः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (and)

• अवेक्ष्य: having observed
• अवेक्ष्य: Kriya (Gerundial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund); धातुः ईक्ष् (to see)

• कलिम्: Kali (age/strife)
• कलिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वर्धयते: increases
• वर्धयते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; causative sense in usage ‘makes grow/increases’

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कारणार्थ (because/since)

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मरूपेण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (and)

• वक्ति: speaks
• वक्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Reason/therefore)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-रूपेण अव्ययीभाव/निपातवत् प्रयोगः; अपादान/हेतुअर्थ (therefore/from that)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (and)

• पापेन: by sin
• पापेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लिप्यते: is tainted
• लिप्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive) ‘is tainted’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada stands as a witness to time: behind him a wheel of yugas turns, with Kali’s dark segment advancing; yet his speech appears as a bright, straight line (satya) shielding him from stain.

Characters & Entities

• Kali

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Truthfulness and clear discernment keep a devotee unstained by pāpa, even amid Kali’s turbulence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; the focus is ethical praise within Nārada-stuti.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed here; the emphasis is on satya (truth) and purity from sin.