Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 103

Devanagari script

विदुरेष्यद्धियाऽपायं परतोऽन्ये विवेकिनः । नैवोभयं विदुर्नीचा विनाऽनुभवमात्मनः

Transliteration

vidureṣyaddhiyā'pāyaṃ parato'nye vivekinaḥ | naivobhayaṃ vidurnīcā vinā'nubhavamātmanaḥ

Translation

വിവേകികൾ അടുത്തുവരുന്ന അപകടം പോലും തിരിച്ചറിയുന്നു; ചിലർ സംഭവിച്ച ശേഷം മനസ്സിലാക്കുന്നു. എന്നാൽ നീചബുദ്ധികൾ രണ്ടും അറിയില്ല—സ്വയം അനുഭവിക്കാതെ.

Word by Word

• विदुः: know
• विदुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• एष्यत्-धिया: by foresight (future-oriented intellect)
• एष्यत्-धिया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एष्यत् (कृदन्त; √इ ‘to go’ + श्यत्/शतृ-भविष्यत्) + धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-भावः ‘एष्यती धिः’ इति; साधन/हेतु-तृतीया

• अपायम्: danger/ruin
• अपायम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• परतः: from afar
• परतः: Adhikarana (Adverbial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्ययीभावार्थे क्रियाविशेषण (‘from afar/at a distance’)

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सर्वनामसदृश-विशेषण

• विवेकिनः: the discerning
• विवेकिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवेकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; गुणवाचक-नाम

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (‘only/indeed’)

• उभयम्: both (aspects)
• उभयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उभय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• विदुः: know
• विदुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• नीचाः: the base/low-minded
• नीचाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; गुणवाचक-नाम

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (Preposition-like/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपपद-अव्यय; वियोगार्थ (‘without’); सह द्वितीया

• अनुभवम्: experience
• अनुभवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic reflection within Kaumārikā-khaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Three figures illustrate stages of understanding: a sage noticing distant storm-clouds (approaching danger), a householder reacting after damage, and a stubborn person only awakening amid suffering.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cultivate discernment: the wise learn through insight, while ignorance forces learning only through painful experience.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is referenced; it is a general dharma-śikṣā (moral instruction) verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is on developing viveka (discriminative wisdom).