Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

दक्षिणायक्रमे सूर्यस्तथा शीघ्रं निवर्तते । अतिवेगितया कालं वायुमार्गबलाच्चरन्

Transliteration

dakṣiṇāyakrame sūryastathā śīghraṃ nivartate | ativegitayā kālaṃ vāyumārgabalāccaran

Translation

ଦକ୍ଷିଣାୟନ କ୍ରମରେ ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟ ମଧ୍ୟ ତଥା ଶୀଘ୍ର ନିବର୍ତ୍ତିତ ହୁଏ; ବାୟୁମାର୍ଗବଳରେ ପ୍ରେରିତ ହୋଇ ଅତିବେଗରେ କାଳପଥେ ଚରେ।

Word by Word

• दक्षिणायक्रमे: in the course of the southern solstice (dakṣiṇāyana)
• दक्षिणायक्रमे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिणाय-क्रम (प्रातिपदिक; दक्षिणायन + क्रम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दक्षिणायनस्य क्रमः)

• सूर्यः: the Sun
• सूर्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise/thus
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'thus/likewise')

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसकलिङ्ग-एकवचन-प्रथमा/द्वितीया प्रयोगः (adverbial accusative: quickly)

• निवर्तते: turns back/returns
• निवर्तते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु) + नि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अतिवेगितया: by great speed/with extreme swiftness
• अतिवेगितया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिवेगिता (प्रातिपदिक; अति + वेगिता)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करणवाचक (instrumental of manner)

• कालम्: (in) time / for a duration
• कालम्: Kriya-visheshana (Duration/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कालपरिमाणवाचक (accusative of duration)

• वायुमार्गबलात्: from/owing to the force of the wind-path
• वायुमार्गबलात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु-मार्ग-बल (प्रातिपदिक; वायु + मार्ग + बल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वायोः मार्गः; तस्य बलम्)

• चरन्: moving/travelling
• चरन्: Karta (Agent as participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa Sūta (deduced; Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration to sages)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Phālguna (Arjuna)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic tableau: Sūrya on a radiant chariot, the arc of dakṣiṇāyana shown as a swift turning; subtle streams representing ‘vāyu-mārga’ (wind-paths) pushing the solar course; personified Kāla as a wheel behind.

Characters & Entities

• Sūrya
• Dakṣiṇāyana
• Vāyumārga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Time can feel accelerated in phases; dharma urges alertness and disciplined living as seasons and duties shift swiftly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific location is praised; the verse describes cosmic mechanics in puranic idiom.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is explanatory rather than prescriptive.