Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

अर्जुन उवाच । केवलं पौरुषपरं भीमेनोक्तमिदं वचः । अबलं दैवहेतुत्वात्प्रबलं प्रतिभाति मे

Transliteration

arjuna uvāca | kevalaṃ pauruṣaparaṃ bhīmenoktamidaṃ vacaḥ | abalaṃ daivahetutvātprabalaṃ pratibhāti me

Translation

อรชุนกล่าวว่า: “ถ้อยคำที่ภีมะกล่าวนี้อาศัยเพียงความเพียรของมนุษย์เท่านั้น แต่สำหรับข้า เพราะมีโชคชะตาเป็นเหตุ สิ่งที่ดูอ่อนกลับปรากฏเป็นสิ่งเข้มแข็งแก่ข้า”

Word by Word

• अर्जुनः: Arjuna
• अर्जुनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• केवलम्: only; merely
• केवलम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् पौरुषपरम् (adverbial accusative ‘merely’)

• पौरुषपरम्: based solely on human effort
• पौरुषपरम्: Karman (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पौरुष (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् वचः; समासः तत्पुरुषः (पौरुषे परम् = ‘dependent on manly effort’)

• भीमेन: by Bhīma
• भीमेन: Karana (Agent in passive/instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• उक्तम्: spoken
• उक्तम्: Karman (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् वचः

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karman (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदं (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम; विशेषणम् वचः

• वचः: speech; statement
• वचः: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• अबलम्: weak
• अबलम्: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicative) ‘[it seems] weak’

• दैवहेतुत्वात्: because it has fate as the cause
• दैवहेतुत्वात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित/भावप्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; समासः तत्पुरुषः (दैवम् हेतु: यस्य तत् = ‘having fate as cause’); अपादान/हेतौ प्रयोगः (‘because of’)

• प्रबलम्: strong
• प्रबलम्: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicative) ‘[it seems] strong’

• प्रतिभाति: appears; seems
• प्रतिभाति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भा (धातु) with प्रति-
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• मे: to me; for me
• मे: Sambandha (Experiencer/possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive) एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Arjuna

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Arjuna speaks thoughtfully, weighing Bhīma’s emphasis on prowess against the felt force of destiny; a quiet council scene with Arjuna’s contemplative gaze.

Characters & Entities

• Arjuna
• Bhīma
• Daiva (destiny/divine will)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Human effort is meaningful, yet outcomes are ultimately strengthened by daiva; dharma balances initiative with humility before divine order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is glorified in this verse; it is a philosophical comment within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse discusses causality (daiva) rather than ritual practice.