Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

अविज्ञायान्य सामर्थ्यं स्वसामर्थ्यं प्रदर्शयेत । उपहासमवाप्नोति तथैवायमिहाचलः

Transliteration

avijñāyānya sāmarthyaṃ svasāmarthyaṃ pradarśayeta | upahāsamavāpnoti tathaivāyamihācalaḥ

Translation

Tanpa mengetahui keupayaan orang lain, sesiapa yang mempamerkan kekuatannya sendiri hanya akan menerima ejekan; demikian juga gunung ini di sini.

Word by Word

• अविज्ञाय: without knowing
• अविज्ञाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): 'not having known/without understanding'

• अन्य: another's
• अन्य: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies सामर्थ्यम्)

• सामर्थ्यम्: capability/power
• सामर्थ्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामर्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• स्व-सामर्थ्यम्: one's own capability
• स्व-सामर्थ्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + सामर्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (स्वस्य सामर्थ्यम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रदर्शयेत: should display
• प्रदर्शयेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√दृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• उपहासम्: ridicule
• उपहासम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपहास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अवाप्नोति: attains/gets
• अवाप्नोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'thus/so')

• एव: indeed
• एव: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• अयम्: this (man)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'here')

• अचलः: immovable/steadfast (or 'a mountain' figuratively)
• अचलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अचल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणवत्-प्रयोग (as predicate noun/adjective)

Speaker

Vyāsa (narrative voice; speaker not explicitly marked in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: peak

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A person boasting and flexing before a vast, immovable mountain; nearby sages smile gently, indicating the folly; the mountain’s presence feels sentient and superior.

Characters & Entities

• Acala (mountain, unnamed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True strength is joined with discernment and humility; boastful display without understanding leads to disgrace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha appears in this verse; it references a mountain within the ongoing story.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.