Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

प्ररोचनपराः सर्वे क्षुद्राश्चेंद्रादयो वृथा । नात्मानं च प्रपंचेन वेत्सि त्वं हि शचीपते

Transliteration

prarocanaparāḥ sarve kṣudrāśceṃdrādayo vṛthā | nātmānaṃ ca prapaṃcena vetsi tvaṃ hi śacīpate

Translation

Vous êtes tous voués à la flatterie et à la persuasion ; bien mesquins êtes-vous, dieux à commencer par Indra, et vaine est toute votre vantardise. Ô seigneur de Śacī, tu ne connais pas vraiment le Soi, mais seulement le jeu des apparences du monde.

Word by Word

• प्ररोचनपराः: devoted to pleasure/flattery
• प्ररोचनपराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्ररोचन-पर (प्रातिपदिक; प्ररोचन + पर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्तरि), बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘प्ररोचने पराः’ (inclined to delight/pleasure)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• क्षुद्राः: petty, mean
• क्षुद्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• इन्द्रादयः: Indra and others
• इन्द्रादयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; इन्द्र + आदि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘इन्द्रः आदिः येषाम्’ (इन्द्र-प्रमुखाः)

• वृथा: in vain, uselessly
• वृथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वृथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

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

• आत्मानम्: the self
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रपञ्चेन: by/through worldly expansion (phenomenal world)
• प्रपञ्चेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रपञ्च (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• वेत्सि: you know
• वेत्सि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; धातु—विद् (to know)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुषार्थे (2nd person pronoun), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• शचीपते: O lord of Śacī
• शचीपते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शची-पति (प्रातिपदिक; शची + पति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘शच्याः पतिः’ (vocative epithet of Indra)

Speaker

Unknown (Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative voice; likely addressing Indra within the Kedāra context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stern sage/Śaiva voice addresses Indra (Śacīpati) amid Himalayan austerity; devas appear diminished before the Kedāra presence; emphasis on the contrast between glittering celestial regalia and the stillness of Self-knowledge.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Śacī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Flattery and status do not equal wisdom; true knowledge is knowing the ātman beyond prapañca.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra is the textual setting, but the verse is primarily a philosophical rebuke rather than a tirtha-panegyric.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it emphasizes inner discernment and humility.