Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

अपुंसां संपदो भोगाः पुत्रदारधनानि च । दैवेन क्षणमुद्यंति क्षणादस्तं व्रजंति च

Transliteration

apuṃsāṃ saṃpado bhogāḥ putradāradhanāni ca | daivena kṣaṇamudyaṃti kṣaṇādastaṃ vrajaṃti ca

Translation

അധൈര്യരായ (അപുംസരായ)വരുടെ സമ്പത്തും ഭോഗങ്ങളും—പുത്രൻ, ഭാര്യ, ധനം—ദൈവവശാൽ ഒരു ക്ഷണം ഉദിച്ച്, അടുത്ത ക്ഷണത്തിൽ തന്നെ അസ്തമിച്ച് അപ്രത്യക്ഷമാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• अपुंसाम्: of men without manliness / of the impotent
• अपुंसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + पुंस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; नञ्-समासार्थक-उपसर्गयुक्त (a- privative)

• संपदः: prosperities
• संपदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भोगाः: enjoyments
• भोगाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पुत्रदारधनानि: sons, wives, and wealth
• पुत्रदारधनानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र + दार + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• दैवेन: by fate
• दैवेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• क्षणम्: for a moment
• क्षणम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे काल-परिमाण (duration)

• उद्यन्ति: rise, arise
• उद्यन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + इ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• क्षणात्: from a moment, in a moment
• क्षणात्: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन

• अस्तम्: to setting, down
• अस्तम्: Gati (Directional complement)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अस्त (प्रातिपदिक; ‘अस्त’ = setting/down)
• Form: अव्यय; गतिवाचक (gati) ‘अस्तम्’ (to setting/down)

• व्रजन्ति: go
• व्रजन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (same lamenting voice as prior verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Allegorical tableau: a wheel of fortune turning; wealth, family, and pleasures depicted as rising sun and setting sun in quick succession; a wavering man hesitates at a crossroads.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly gains are unstable; therefore one should cultivate steadiness in dharma rather than dependence on fortune.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is on vairāgya (detachment) and discernment about transient prosperity.