Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

यामि वा तत्कथं पादौ चलतो मे कथंचन । एतस्मिन्मे मनो विद्धं खिद्यतेऽज्ञानसंकटे

Transliteration

yāmi vā tatkathaṃ pādau calato me kathaṃcana | etasminme mano viddhaṃ khidyate'jñānasaṃkaṭe

Translation

หรือแม้ข้าพเจ้าจะไป—เท้าของข้าพเจ้าจะก้าวเดินได้อย่างไรเล่า? ด้วยเรื่องนี้เอง ใจของข้าพเจ้าราวถูกทิ่มแทง และทุกข์ระทมอยู่ท่ามกลางห้วงแห่งอวิชชาและความลังเล

Word by Word

• यामि: I go
• यामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वा: or
• वा: Disjunction (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive 'or')

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma/Reference (कर्म/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here adverbial/object-like 'that'

• कथं: how?
• कथं: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• पादौ: (two) feet
• पादौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन (Dual); here subject of चलतः

• चलतः: move (the two move)
• चलतः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चल् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: my
• मे: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Gen./Dat.), एकवचन; here षष्ठी 'my'

• कथंचन: somehow
• कथंचन: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/अनिश्चितवाचक-अव्यय (somehow/anyhow)

• एतस्मिन्: in this (matter)
• एतस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative singular)

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

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here subject of खिद्यते

• विद्धं: pierced, afflicted
• विद्धं: Visheshana (विशेषण) of मनः
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यध्/विध् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'pierced/struck' (agreeing with मनः)

• खिद्यते: is distressed
• खिद्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: खिद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; 'is distressed'

• अज्ञानसंकटे: in the predicament of ignorance
• अज्ञानसंकटे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + संकट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अज्ञानस्य संकटे = 'in the crisis of ignorance')

Speaker

Same narrator within Sūta’s discourse (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim stands at a crossroads near a distant sacred horizon; his feet are shown rooted while a thorn/arrow motif pierces the heart-mind region, symbolizing ‘mano viddham’; surrounding mist represents ajñāna-saṅkaṭa.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma is unclear, the mind becomes burdened; one should seek right counsel and clarity rather than act blindly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the context of going to a place, but it does not name the tīrtha directly here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it expresses psychological and ethical turmoil around a dharmic choice.