Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

कालेनैव हि लोकोऽयं पुण्यमाचरते सदा । धर्मनिष्ठाश्च केचित्तु भक्त्या परमया युताः

Transliteration

kālenaiva hi loko'yaṃ puṇyamācarate sadā | dharmaniṣṭhāśca kecittu bhaktyā paramayā yutāḥ

Translation

En vérité, au fil du temps, ce monde accomplit sans cesse le mérite. Et certains demeurent fermes dans le dharma, unis à la dévotion la plus haute.

Word by Word

• kālena: by time
• kālena: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (काल)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular

• eva: only / itself
• eva: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (एव)
• Form: Particle

• hi: indeed
• hi: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (हि)
• Form: Particle

• lokaḥ: world / people
• lokaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (लोक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• ayam: this
• ayam: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• puṇyam: merit / virtue
• puṇyam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (पुण्य)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular

• ācarate: practices / performs
• ācarate: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + car (आ + चर्)
• Form: Lat Lakara (Present), Atmanepada, 3rd Person, Singular

• sadā: always
• sadā: Adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (सदा)
• Form: Adverb

• dharmaniṣṭhāḥ: devoted to dharma
• dharmaniṣṭhāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma-niṣṭha (धर्म-निष्ठ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural

• ca: and
• ca: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च)
• Form: Conjunction

• kecit: some
• kecit: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim + cit (किम् + चित्)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Plural

• tu: but / however
• tu: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (तु)
• Form: Particle (Contrast)

• bhaktyā: with devotion
• bhaktyā: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (भक्ति)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular

• paramayā: supreme
• paramayā: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paramā (परमा)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (तृतीया), Singular

• yutāḥ: endowed with / united with
• yutāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yuta (युत)
• Form: Past Passive Participle, Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

Śveta (in dialogue, reflecting on Kāla and dharma)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śveta counters the harsh judgment by noting that, in time, the world practices merit and that some remain devoted and dharma-steady.

Characters & Entities

• Kāla (Time, cosmic principle)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Time is portrayed as a cosmic order through which merit and dharma reassert themselves; supreme devotion remains present even in difficult ages.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra, by virtue of the Kedārakhaṇḍa setting, though this verse is more philosophical than geographical.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it highlights puṇya-ācaraṇa (virtuous conduct) and steadfast devotion.