Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

क्व स्वप्ने नियतं स्थैर्यमिंद्रजाले क्व सत्यता । क्व नित्यता शरन्मेघे क्व शश्वत्त्वं कलेवरे

Transliteration

kva svapne niyataṃ sthairyamiṃdrajāle kva satyatā | kva nityatā śaranmeghe kva śaśvattvaṃ kalevare

Translation

ಸ್ವಪ್ನದಲ್ಲಿ ಎಲ್ಲಿದೆ ನಿಶ್ಚಿತ ಸ್ಥೈರ್ಯ? ಇಂದ್ರಜಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಎಲ್ಲಿದೆ ಸತ್ಯತೆ? ಶರದೃತುವಿನ ಮೇಘದಲ್ಲಿ ಎಲ್ಲಿದೆ ನಿತ್ಯತೆ? ದೇಹದಲ್ಲಿ ಎಲ್ಲಿದೆ ಶಾಶ್ವತತೆ?

Word by Word

• क्व: where (is)
• क्व: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न/निन्दा-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: where?)

• स्वप्ने: in a dream
• स्वप्ने: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वप्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• नियतम्: fixed/certain
• नियतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नियत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier)

• स्थैर्यम्: stability
• स्थैर्यम्: Karta (Subject/implicit)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थैर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• इन्द्रजाले: in a magic illusion
• इन्द्रजाले: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रजाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—इन्द्रस्य जालम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• क्व: where (is)
• क्व: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (where?)

• सत्यता: truth/reality
• सत्यता: Karta (Subject/implicit)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); ता-प्रत्ययान्त भाववाचक

• क्व: where (is)
• क्व: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (where?)

• नित्यता: eternity/permanence
• नित्यता: Karta (Subject/implicit)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्यता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); ता-प्रत्ययान्त भाववाचक

• शरन्मेघे: in an autumn cloud
• शरन्मेघे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरत् + मेघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—शरदि मेघः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• क्व: where (is)
• क्व: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (where?)

• शश्वत्त्वम्: everlastingness
• शश्वत्त्वम्: Karta (Subject/implicit)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शश्वत् + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); त्वान्त-भाववाचक

• कलेवरे: in the body
• कलेवरे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलेवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

A Purāṇic teacher (speaker not explicit in the snippet; likely continuing instruction to a grieving listener)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four-panel symbolic tableau: a fading dream scene, a magician’s illusion, an autumn cloud dissolving, and a human figure with a translucent body—each pointing to impermanence.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly life and the body are unstable like dreams, illusions, and clouds; recognizing this supports detachment and equanimity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is named; the verse is a universal reflection used in Purāṇic dharma teaching.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is mentioned; the emphasis is on discrimination (viveka) and dispassion (vairāgya).