Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

सौदामिनीव विचरन्दृश्यसे प्राज्ञसंमतः । सदा कलिकरो लोके निर्दयः सर्वप्राणिषु

Transliteration

saudāminīva vicarandṛśyase prājñasaṃmataḥ | sadā kalikaro loke nirdayaḥ sarvaprāṇiṣu

Translation

सौदामिनीव त्वं विचरन् दृश्यसे, प्राज्ञैः संमतश्च; तथापि लोके सदा कलिकरः, सर्वप्राणिषु निर्दयः।

Word by Word

• सौदामिनी: lightning
• सौदामिनी: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौदामिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपमान-पद (simile standard)

• इव: like, as
• इव: Sambandha (Comparative particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• विचरन्: moving about, roaming
• विचरन्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु) + वि- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial participle)

• दृश्यसे: you are seen, appear
• दृश्यसे: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• प्राज्ञसंमतः: approved by the wise
• प्राज्ञसंमतः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + संमत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (प्राज्ञैः संमतः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kālādhi karaṇa (Temporal adjunct/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• कलिकरः: agent/producer of Kali (evil age)
• कलिकरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कलेः करः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• निर्दयः: merciless
• निर्दयः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्दय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सर्वप्राणिषु: among all living beings
• सर्वप्राणिषु: Adhikaraṇa (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (सर्वे प्राणिनः); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; अधिकरण

Speaker

Phālguna (Arjuna)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A personified force of Kali/discord moves like a streak of lightning across a darkened world; sages observe with mixed awe and disapproval, while beings recoil from cruelty.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Outer reputation and inner intent are scrutinized; dharma values compassion, even when sharp actions seem to provoke change.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a moral critique framed within dialogue.