Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अतीतं वर्तमानं च स्मरामि च सृजाम्यहम् । तैर्विना चाहमेकस्तु मूकोऽधो जडवत्सदा

Transliteration

atītaṃ vartamānaṃ ca smarāmi ca sṛjāmyaham | tairvinā cāhamekastu mūko'dho jaḍavatsadā

Translation

ମୁଁ ଅତୀତ ଓ ବର୍ତ୍ତମାନକୁ ସ୍ମରଣ କରେ, ସୃଷ୍ଟିକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ସୃଜନ କରେ; କିନ୍ତୁ ସେ (ବେଦ) ବିନା ମୁଁ ଏକା ସଦା ମୂକ, ହୀନ ଓ ଜଡବତ୍ ହୋଇଯାଏ।

Word by Word

• अतीतम्: the past
• अतीतम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• वर्तमानम्: the present
• वर्तमानम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्त् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (शानच्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘present (time)’ (Present participial noun; Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (Indeclinable; conjunction)

• स्मरामि: I remember
• स्मरामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (Present indicative, 1st person, Singular, Parasmaipada)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (Indeclinable; conjunction)

• सृजामि: I create
• सृजामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (Present indicative, 1st person, Singular, Parasmaipada)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Nominative, Singular; pronoun)

• तैः: with/by those
• तैः: Sahartha/Apadana (With/without; here in vinā-construction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural; pronoun)

• विना: without
• विना: Apadana (Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वियोगार्थक उपसर्गसदृश (Indeclinable; preposition-like ‘without’)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (Indeclinable; conjunction)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Nominative, Singular; pronoun)

• एकः: alone
• एकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular; adjective)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (Indeclinable; particle ‘but/indeed’)

• मूकः: mute
• मूकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular; adjective)

• अधः: down/below
• अधः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (Indeclinable; adverb of place ‘down/below’)

• जडवत्: like an inert one
• जडवत्: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: जड + वत् (तद्धितान्त)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (वत्-प्रत्ययान्त) (Indeclinable; comparative ‘like’)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (Indeclinable; adverb of time)

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A creator-figure gestures to the wheel of time (past and present) and a sprouting cosmos, then slumps as if speechless, showing the contrast between empowered creation and Veda-less inertia.

Characters & Entities

• Veda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vedic knowledge is depicted as the enabling power for memory, discernment, and righteous creation; without it, consciousness becomes ineffective.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Revā (Narmadā) sacred setting frames the discourse, but the verse itself focuses on the indispensability of the Vedas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse is doctrinal, describing dependence on Vedic revelation.