Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 21
Devanagari script
अध्रुवेण शरीरेण यद्यभीष्टं न साध्यते । पश्चात्स शोच्यते मंदः पतितेऽस्मिञ्छरीरके
Transliteration
adhruveṇa śarīreṇa yadyabhīṣṭaṃ na sādhyate | paścātsa śocyate maṃdaḥ patite'smiñcharīrake
Translation
「この無常の身をもってしても望みが成就しないなら、やがてこの身が倒れ落ちるとき、愚かな者は嘆き悲しむ。」
Word by Word
adhruveṇawith impermanent
adhruveṇa:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootadhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (शरीर-विशेषण), तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘impermanent’
śarīreṇaby/with the body
śarīreṇa:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootśarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन
yadiif
yadi:
Sambandha (Condition marker/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyadi (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional: if)
abhīṣṭamthe desired (goal)
abhīṣṭam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootabhīṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; इष्टवस्तु (desired thing)
nanot
na:
Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध
sādhyateis accomplished
sādhyate:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootsādh (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; धातु: साध् (to accomplish)
paścātafterwards
paścāt:
Kala (Time/काल)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootpaścāt (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (afterwards)
saḥhe
saḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
śocyateis grieved/laments
śocyate:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootśuc (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), कर्मणि (passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; धातु: शुच् (to grieve)
mandaḥthe foolish (one)
mandaḥ:
Visheshana (Qualifier of saḥ/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootmanda (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (dull/foolish)
patitewhen (it has) fallen
patite:
Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
TypeVerb
Rootpat (धातु)
Formक्त (past passive participle) ‘पतित’; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; लोके (when fallen)
asminin this
asmin:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootidam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; निर्देश (in this)
śarīrakein the body
śarīrake:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootśarīraka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अल्पार्थक/प्रत्ययान्त (diminutive: little body)
Speaker
Śrī Devī
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A traveler hesitating at a crossroads while a shadowy figure of Time (Kāla) approaches; a fallen garland symbolizes the body’s fall; a temple silhouette in the distance represents the unfulfilled goal.
FAQs
Because the body is impermanent, dharma urges timely effort—otherwise regret arises at life’s end.
No tīrtha is mentioned; the teaching is ethical and existential.
No specific ritual is named; it reinforces the urgency to undertake meaningful sādhanā such as tapas while able.