Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

तथा कस्मादिदं सृष्टं जडं विश्वं चिदात्मना । एवं यद्बहुधा क्लेशः पीड्यते हा कुतस्त्विदम्

Transliteration

tathā kasmādidaṃ sṛṣṭaṃ jaḍaṃ viśvaṃ cidātmanā | evaṃ yadbahudhā kleśaḥ pīḍyate hā kutastvidam

Translation

Dan lagi—mengapakah alam semesta yang beku ini dicipta oleh Ātman yang berkesedaran? Mengapakah penderitaan menekan dalam pelbagai rupa—aduhai, dari manakah semua ini timbul?

Word by Word

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (adverb: “thus/so”)

• कस्मात्: from what? why?
• कस्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular); प्रश्नार्थक-सर्वनाम

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सृष्टम्: created
• सृष्टम्: Kriya (Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle): नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; “created” (predicate adjective)

• जडम्: inert
• जडम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (of इदम्/विश्वम्)

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• चिदात्मना: by the consciousness-self
• चिदात्मना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित् (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समासार्थ: “चिदेव आत्मा यस्य/चिदात्मा”; करण (instrument/agentive means)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (thus)

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative connector)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (relative pronoun), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

• बहुधा: in many ways
• बहुधा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/बहुत्वार्थक-अव्यय (in many ways)

• क्लेशः: affliction
• क्लेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्लेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पीड्यते: is inflicted/torments
• पीड्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पीड् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद

• हा: alas!
• हा: Sambandha (Exclamation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हा (अव्यय)
• Form: विस्मय/शोकार्थक-निपात (exclamation)

• कुतः: from where/why
• कुतः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय/प्रश्नार्थ)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (from where?/why?)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Unspecified questioner (metaphysical problem of evil/suffering before the teaching reply)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bāla

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau: luminous Conscious Self above, below an inert universe of elements; beings caught in nets of kleśa; the question ‘kutas?’ visualized as a scroll emerging from the seeker’s mouth toward the cosmic light.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It raises the deep question of creation: how consciousness relates to an inert world and pervasive suffering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is indicated; the verse is philosophical groundwork for a doctrinal explanation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a doctrinal question that invites a cosmological answer.