Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 129

Devanagari script

सर्वमाभरणं भारं सर्वमालेपनं मम । सर्वं प्रलापितं गीतं नित्यमुन्मत्तचेष्टितम्

Transliteration

sarvamābharaṇaṃ bhāraṃ sarvamālepanaṃ mama | sarvaṃ pralāpitaṃ gītaṃ nityamunmattaceṣṭitam

Translation

എന്റെ എല്ലാ ആഭരണങ്ങളും ഭാരമാണ്; എന്റെ എല്ലാ ലേപന-ശൃംഗാരങ്ങളും നിർഥകമാണ്. എന്റെ മുഴുവൻ പ്രലാപവും പാട്ടും അർഥശൂന്യമായ ബഡബഡ—എപ്പോഴും ഉന്മത്തന്റെ ചേഷ്ടപോലെ.

Word by Word

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karta/Predicate (Nominal)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (here: predicate ‘everything’)

• आभरणम्: ornament; adornment
• आभरणम्: Predicate-noun (Apposition to सर्वम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आभरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भारम्: a burden
• भारम्: Predicate-noun (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (context: predicate/accusative-like listing)

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karta/Predicate (Nominal)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आलेपनम्: smearing; cosmetic application
• आलेपनम्: Predicate-noun (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आलेपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मम: my
• मम: Shashthi-sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karta/Predicate (Nominal)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रलापितम्: babbling; prattle (what is spoken)
• प्रलापितम्: Predicate-noun (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र-लप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle used nominally), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गीतम्: song; singing
• गीतम्: Predicate-noun (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; गा + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणार्थे अव्ययीभूत (adverb: always)

• उन्मत्तचेष्टितम्: mad conduct; frenzy-like behavior
• उन्मत्तचेष्टितम्: Predicate-noun (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उन्मत्त-चेष्टित (प्रातिपदिक; उन्मत्त + चेष्टित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘mad-behaviour’ (behaviour like a madman)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A richly adorned figure removes heavy ornaments; cosmetics and musical instruments lie discarded; the face shows exhaustion; attendants stand silent—courtly noise replaced by stillness.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

External display without inner peace becomes burdensome; dharma points toward simplicity and inward steadiness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No sacred geography is invoked in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it is a reflection encouraging renunciation of vanity.