Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 120

Devanagari script

आदावाडंबरेणैव ध्रुवतोऽज्ञानमेव मे । इत्थं निःसारता व्यक्तमादावाडंबारात्तु यत्

Transliteration

ādāvāḍaṃbareṇaiva dhruvato'jñānameva me | itthaṃ niḥsāratā vyaktamādāvāḍaṃbārāttu yat

Translation

С самого начала одна лишь показуха только утвердила моё неведение. Так явственно обнаруживается пустота: когда с первых шагов есть лишь внешняя пышность.

Word by Word

• ādau: at the beginning
• ādau: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ādau (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'at first')

• āḍaṃbareṇa: by pomp/show
• āḍaṃbareṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āḍambara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• eva: indeed, only
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• dhruvataḥ: certainly
• dhruvataḥ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhruvatas (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (adverb: 'certainly')

• ajñānam: ignorance
• ajñānam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ittham: thus, in this way
• ittham: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ittham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner adverb)

• niḥsāratā: emptiness, lack of substance
• niḥsāratā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niḥsāratā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भाववाचक-नाम

• vyaktam: clearly, manifestly
• vyaktam: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyakta (कृदन्त; vi-√añj/√vyaj? 'to manifest'—क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (as predicate/adverbial)

• ādau: at first
• ādau: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ādau (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय

• āḍaṃbārāt: from pomp/show
• āḍaṃbārāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āḍambara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• tu: but, however
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-निपात (particle: 'but/indeed')

• yat: that which
• yat: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सूचक सर्वनाम (relative)

Speaker

Unclear from snippet; reflective/critical voice within the dialogue

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim surrounded by lavish ritual paraphernalia realizes emptiness; the scene shifts to a simple lamp and quiet prayer, symbolizing substance over show.

Characters & Entities

• Āḍambara (ostentation)
• Ajñāna (ignorance)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is essence-centered: outward pomp without inner understanding reveals hollowness and deepens ignorance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; the verse focuses on the quality of practice rather than pilgrimage geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; it implicitly calls for sincerity and substance over display in religious conduct.