Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

अपि कल्पायुषां तेषां देवानां तु विपर्ययः । अनेकामयबद्धानां का कथा नरदेहिनाम्

Transliteration

api kalpāyuṣāṃ teṣāṃ devānāṃ tu viparyayaḥ | anekāmayabaddhānāṃ kā kathā naradehinām

Translation

କଳ୍ପାୟୁ ଥିବା ଦେବମାନଙ୍କୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ବିପର୍ୟୟ ଓ ପତନ ହୁଏ; ତେବେ ଅନେକ ରୋଗରେ ବନ୍ଧା ନରଦେହୀମାନଙ୍କ କଥା କ’ଣ କହିବା!

Word by Word

• अपि: even / also
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• कल्पायुषाम्: of those having a kalpa-long lifespan
• कल्पायुषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कल्प + आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध

• तु: but / indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक निपात (contrastive particle)

• विपर्ययः: reversal / change (for the worse)
• विपर्ययः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपर्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृ/विधेय-नाम

• अनेकामयबद्धानाम्: of those bound by many diseases
• अनेकामयबद्धानाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक + आमय + बद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √बन्ध् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; विशेषण (नरदेहिनाम्-विशेषण)

• का: what (kind of)?
• का: Visheshana (Interrogative qualifier/प्रश्न)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम (interrogative)

• कथा: talk / possibility / case
• कथा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृ/विधेय-नाम

• नरदेहिनाम्: of human-bodied beings (humans)
• नरदेहिनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध

Speaker

Unknown (context not provided; likely a Purāṇic narrator within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial court with devas showing subtle signs of decline—wilted garlands, dimming aura—contrasted with humans afflicted by visible ailments, underscoring universal vulnerability.

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

If even long-lived celestial beings face decline, human pride is misplaced; one should pursue dharma and liberation with urgency.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is mentioned; the verse is a universal reflection on mortality rather than a site-specific māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is stated; the verse motivates renunciation and dharmic living through contemplation of impermanence.