Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

परंतु प्रलये जाते सर्वतस्तमसा वृतम् । आसीदेकं तदा ब्रह्म निर्गुणं बीजमव्ययम्

Transliteration

paraṃtu pralaye jāte sarvatastamasā vṛtam | āsīdekaṃ tadā brahma nirguṇaṃ bījamavyayam

Translation

Namun apabila pralaya terjadi dan segala penjuru diselubungi kegelapan, ketika itu hanya Brahman yang ada—nirguṇa, benih yang tidak binasa, yang tidak susut dan kekal.

Word by Word

• paramtu: however
• paramtu: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paramtu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोधार्थक-अव्यय (adversative particle: but/however)

• pralaye: at dissolution
• pralaye: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pralaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• jāte: having occurred
• jāte: Adhikaraṇa (Locative absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन (Singular), पुं/नपुंसक; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute): 'when (it) had occurred'

• sarvatas: everywhere
• sarvatas: Deśa (Spatial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvatas (अव्यय)
• Form: दिशावाचक-अव्यय (adverb: on all sides/everywhere)

• tamasā: by darkness
• tamasā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• vṛtam: covered
• vṛtam: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• āsīt: was
• āsīt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• ekam: one
• ekam: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying 'brahma')

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: then)

• brahma: Brahman
• brahma: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); अत्र प्रथमा (subject of 'āsīt')

• nirguṇam: without qualities
• nirguṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir (उपसर्ग) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying 'brahma')

• bījam: seed
• bījam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bīja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); समनाधिकरण (apposition to 'brahma')

• avyayam: imperishable
• avyayam: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a (नञ्) + vyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying 'brahma/bījam')

Speaker

Śiva

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Skanda

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau: all directions veiled in darkness at pralaya; within it, a subtle, formless radiance signifies the lone nirguṇa Brahman as imperishable seed—suggested rather than anthropomorphized.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Brahman
• Pralaya
• Tamas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Beyond cosmic change stands the imperishable Absolute; remembering this steadies faith amid impermanence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named in this verse; it provides cosmic background supporting the māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a doctrinal statement about dissolution and the imperishable source.