Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 35
Devanagari script
अहो विचित्रः सं सारो दुर्वेद्यो महतामपि । प्रवरस्त्वपि शक्त्या यो नरेषु न कृपायते
Transliteration
aho vicitraḥ saṃ sāro durvedyo mahatāmapi | pravarastvapi śaktyā yo nareṣu na kṛpāyate
Translation
“โอ้หนอ สาระแห่งสังสารช่างพิสดาร ยากหยั่งรู้แม้แก่ผู้ยิ่งใหญ่ แม้ผู้เลิศด้วยอำนาจ ก็ยังอาจไม่เมตตาต่อมนุษย์”
Word by Word
अहोah! alas!
अहो:
Bhava (Exclamation/विस्मय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअहो (अव्यय)
Formविस्मयार्थक-अव्यय (interjection)
विचित्रःstrange
विचित्रः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootविचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण
सःthat / he
सः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
संसारःworldly existence
संसारः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसंसार (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन
दुर्वेद्यःhard to understand
दुर्वेद्यः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootदुर् (उपसर्ग) + वेद्य (विद् धातु + यत्)
Formयत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/भाव्य), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; अर्थः—‘hard to be known’
महताम्of the great (people)
महताम्:
Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootमहत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन
अपिeven
अपि:
Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय/अपवादार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)
प्रवरःexcellent, foremost
प्रवरः:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण
तुbut/indeed
तु:
Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formविरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (but/indeed)
अपिeven
अपि:
Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय/अपवादार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)
शक्त्याby power/ability
शक्त्या:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootशक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन
यःwho
यः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)
नरेषुamong men
नरेषु:
Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootनर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन
नnot
न:
Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)
कृपायतेshows compassion
कृपायते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootकृपा (नामधातु) / कृपाय् (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; नामधातु-प्रयोग—‘to show compassion’
Speaker
Himācala
Skanda Dialogue
Listener: Skanda (Kumāra)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: Himavat speaks a reflective aphorism: the world is strange; even the powerful may lack compassion—his face still wet with tears, gaze turned inward.
Characters & Entities
H
HimācalaFAQs
Power and status are not signs of dharma; compassion (kṛpā) is a key measure of true greatness.
No site is specified; the verse gives a universal dharma reflection.
None; it is an ethical observation.