Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

नैवास्तमनमर्कस्य नोदयः सर्वदा सतः । उदयास्तमनाक्यं हि दर्शनादर्शनं रवेः

Transliteration

naivāstamanamarkasya nodayaḥ sarvadā sataḥ | udayāstamanākyaṃ hi darśanādarśanaṃ raveḥ

Translation

ಸರ್ವದಾ ಸತ್ತ್ವವಾಗಿರುವ ಅರ್ಕನಿಗೆ ಅಸ್ತಮನವೂ ಇಲ್ಲ, ಉದಯವೂ ಇಲ್ಲ. ‘ಉದಯ-ಅಸ್ತ’ ಎಂದು ಕರೆಯುವುದು ರವಿಯ ದರ್ಶನ ಮತ್ತು ಅದರ್ಶನ ಮಾತ್ರವೇ.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Avyaya (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• एव: indeed; at all
• एव: Sambandha/Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

• अस्तमनम्: setting (sunset)
• अस्तमनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्तमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• अर्कस्य: of the Sun
• अर्कस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• न: nor
• न: Sambandha/Avyaya (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• उदयः: rising (sunrise)
• उदयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Sambandha/Avyaya (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• सतः: of the existent (one)
• सतः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘विद्यमान’ अर्थे

• उदयास्तमनाख्यम्: what is called ‘rising and setting’
• उदयास्तमनाख्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदय + अस्तमन + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (उदयास्तमनम् आख्यं यस्य/यत्)

• हि: for; indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक निपात

• दर्शनादर्शनम्: appearance and disappearance
• दर्शनादर्शनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन + अदर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (दर्शनं च अदर्शनं च)

• रवेः: of the Sun
• रवेः: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa Sūta (deduced; Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration to sages)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍava (implied continuation of address)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two horizons shown simultaneously: on one side Sūrya ‘rising’, on the other ‘setting’, while above them a single constant solar orb shines—illustrating that change is in viewpoint; sages meditate in the center.

Characters & Entities

• Arka
• Ravi
• Sūrya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reality is steady while perception changes; the Sun’s ‘rise’ and ‘set’ teach discernment between truth and appearance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it is a universal cosmological clarification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the idea supports contemplative Sūrya-upāsanā and meditation on the steady Self beyond appearances.