Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 127

Devanagari script

पलायध्वमहो देवाः शक्तिश्चेद्वः पलायितुम् । विमूढा हि वयं सर्वे ये बालवचसागताः

Transliteration

palāyadhvamaho devāḥ śaktiścedvaḥ palāyitum | vimūḍhā hi vayaṃ sarve ye bālavacasāgatāḥ

Translation

「逃げよ、神々よ――逃げる力があるのならば！ まことに我らは皆、迷いに沈んだ。幼子の言葉に従ってここへ来た者たちなのだから。」

Word by Word

• palāyadhvam: run away!
• palāyadhvam: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √lī / √līṅ? (धातु: पलाय-गमनार्थ)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदी

• aho: alas! / oh!
• aho: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aho (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विस्मय/सम्बोधनार्थक निपात (exclamation/vocative particle)

• devāḥ: O gods
• devāḥ: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे अपि प्रयोगः (addressing)

• śaktiḥ: power / ability
• śaktiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• cet: if
• cet: Discourse connective (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक निपात (conditional particle: if)

• vaḥ: of you / your
• vaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन (your)

• palāyitum: to flee
• palāyitum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: palāy (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त infinitive; गमनार्थक

• vimūḍhāḥ: deluded
• vimūḍhāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi- + √muh (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; 'वयम्' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• hi: indeed
• hi: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक निपात (indeed/for)

• vayam: we
• vayam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; 'वयम्' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक (relative pronoun)

• bālavacasā: by a child's words
• bālavacasā: Hetu/Instrument (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक) + vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: बालस्य वचः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग 'वचस्' तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• āgatāḥ: have come / have been led
• āgatāḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√gam (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; 'ये' इत्यस्य विधेय (predicate)

Speaker

Viṣṇu (Hari) speaking to the Devas (from immediate context of v.126)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Hari, arm still raised, speaks sharply: devas scatter or hesitate, faces stricken; the battlefield behind them churns as Tāraka threatens; the line carries bitter irony and collective shame.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu (Hari)
• Devas
• Bāla (a 'child'—implied figure)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Discernment (viveka) is essential—acting on immature counsel leads to collective confusion and loss of strength.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; it is ethical counsel within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is admonitory speech.