Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

विप्र उवाच । यद्येवमवलेपस्ते गमनं केन वार्यते । यथा तव प्रतिज्ञेयं ममापीयं तथाचला

Transliteration

vipra uvāca | yadyevamavalepaste gamanaṃ kena vāryate | yathā tava pratijñeyaṃ mamāpīyaṃ tathācalā

Translation

విప్రుడు అన్నాడు—నీకు ఇంత అహంకారం ఉంటే, నీ గమనాన్ని ఎవరు ఆపగలరు? అయినా నీ ప్రతిజ్ఞ నిలవవలసినట్లే, నా ఈ అభ్యర్థన కూడా అచలమే, ఓ అచలా।

Word by Word

• विप्रः: the brahmin
• विप्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional particle)

• एवम्: thus, in this way
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• अवलेपः: arrogance, pride
• अवलेपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवलेप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ते: your
• ते: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• गमनम्: going, departure
• गमनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन

• केन: by whom/with what
• केन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• वार्यते: is prevented, is restrained
• वार्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), आत्मनेपद

• यथा: as, just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय; तुलनार्थक/प्रकारार्थक (as, in the manner that)

• तव: your
• तव: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रतिज्ञेयम्: to be promised/fulfilled (promise-worthy)
• प्रतिज्ञेयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रतिज्ञेय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √ज्ञा + प्र + नि + यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be promised/undertaken)

• मम: my
• मम: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• इयम्: this (woman/this one)
• इयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: thus, so
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (thus, so)

• अचला: steadfast, unmoving
• अचला: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (immovable/steadfast)

Speaker

Vipra (brāhmaṇa)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Acalā (addressed as ‘Unshaken One’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa confronts an unshaken goddess-like figure (Acalā), asserting that her vow must stand, yet his rightful claim must also be honored; tense, face-to-face moral standoff.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (brāhmaṇa)
• Pārvatī (Acalā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is measured by keeping vows and honoring rightful claims, not by pride or status.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No sacred geography is stated in this verse; it is a dharma-centered dialogue.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; the verse stresses the binding force of a vow (pratijñā).