Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 121

Devanagari script

पतितानां च संसारे दैवाद्बुद्धिः प्रजायते । गुणत्रयमयी विप्रास्तासुतास्त्विह योनिषु

Transliteration

patitānāṃ ca saṃsāre daivādbuddhiḥ prajāyate | guṇatrayamayī viprāstāsutāstviha yoniṣu

Translation

У тех, кто пал в сансару, по божественному установлению возникает (новое) разумение. И, о брахманы, их потомство здесь, в различных лонах, образуется согласно трём гунам.

Word by Word

• पतितानाम्: of the fallen ones
• पतितानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतित (प्रातिपदिक; √पत् धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; ‘पतित’ = fallen (as noun)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• संसारे: in worldly existence
• संसारे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• दैवात्: from fate/by destiny
• दैवात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/अपादान-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; हेतौ (cause): ‘दैवात्’ = by fate

• बुद्धिः: understanding/awareness
• बुद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रजायते: arises/is born
• प्रजायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• गुणत्रयमयी: made of the three guṇas
• गुणत्रयमयी: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुण + त्रय + मय (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying buddhiḥ): ‘गुणत्रयेन मयी’ (consisting of the three guṇas)

• विप्राः: O brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संबोधनार्थे अपि (O brāhmaṇas)

• तासु: in those
• तासु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• उताः: also
• उताः: Connector/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अर्थः—also/and

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (adversative/emphatic particle)

• इह: here
• इह: Adverbial (अव्यय-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• योनिषु: in wombs/births
• योनिषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vipras / Dvijas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wheel of saṃsāra with beings moving through varied wombs (human, animal, celestial), while a ray of divine light touches a fallen soul, symbolizing the arising of new understanding; tri-guṇa colors subtly indicated.

Characters & Entities

• guṇatraya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Within saṃsāra, divine providence can awaken discernment, while embodied life continues under the conditioning of the three guṇas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra’s discourse context frames these teachings as preparation for Śiva-devotion that breaks guṇa-bound rebirth.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; the verse gives a doctrinal account of guṇa-based embodiment.