Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

यामि वा तत्कथं पादौ चलतो मे कथंचन । एतस्मिन्मे मनो विद्धं खिद्यतेऽज्ञानसंकटे

Transliteration

yāmi vā tatkathaṃ pādau calato me kathaṃcana | etasminme mano viddhaṃ khidyate'jñānasaṃkaṭe

Translation

किंवा मी जाऊ तरी कसा—माझे पाय कसलेही करून चालतील तरी कसे? याच विचाराने माझे मन विद्ध झाले आहे आणि अज्ञानजन्य संकटात खिन्न होत आहे.

Word by Word

• यामि: I go
• यामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वा: or
• वा: Disjunction (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive 'or')

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma/Reference (कर्म/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here adverbial/object-like 'that'

• कथं: how?
• कथं: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• पादौ: (two) feet
• पादौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन (Dual); here subject of चलतः

• चलतः: move (the two move)
• चलतः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चल् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: my
• मे: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Gen./Dat.), एकवचन; here षष्ठी 'my'

• कथंचन: somehow
• कथंचन: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/अनिश्चितवाचक-अव्यय (somehow/anyhow)

• एतस्मिन्: in this (matter)
• एतस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative singular)

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

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here subject of खिद्यते

• विद्धं: pierced, afflicted
• विद्धं: Visheshana (विशेषण) of मनः
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यध्/विध् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'pierced/struck' (agreeing with मनः)

• खिद्यते: is distressed
• खिद्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: खिद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; 'is distressed'

• अज्ञानसंकटे: in the predicament of ignorance
• अज्ञानसंकटे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + संकट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अज्ञानस्य संकटे = 'in the crisis of ignorance')

Speaker

Same narrator within Sūta’s discourse (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim stands at a crossroads near a distant sacred horizon; his feet are shown rooted while a thorn/arrow motif pierces the heart-mind region, symbolizing ‘mano viddham’; surrounding mist represents ajñāna-saṅkaṭa.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma is unclear, the mind becomes burdened; one should seek right counsel and clarity rather than act blindly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the context of going to a place, but it does not name the tīrtha directly here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it expresses psychological and ethical turmoil around a dharmic choice.