Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

प्रपश्यंति यथा रात्रौ खद्योतं दीपवत्स्थितम् । यदिदं मन्यसे सारं श्रृणु तस्याप्यसारताम्

Transliteration

prapaśyaṃti yathā rātrau khadyotaṃ dīpavatsthitam | yadidaṃ manyase sāraṃ śrṛṇu tasyāpyasāratām

Translation

جیسے رات میں لوگ جگنو کو چراغ سمجھ بیٹھتے ہیں، ویسے ہی جسے تم ‘سار’ سمجھتے ہو—اب سنو، اس کی بھی بےساری ہے۔

Word by Word

• prapaśyanti: they see clearly
• prapaśyanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√paś (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/उपमानवाचक अव्यय (comparative particle: “as/just as”)

• rātrau: at night
• rātrau: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (sg.)

• khadyotam: a firefly
• khadyotam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: khadyota (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (sg.)

• dīpavat-sthitam: standing like a lamp
• dīpavat-sthitam: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīpa (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित प्रत्यय) + √sthā (धातु) → sthita (कृदन्त)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (dīpavat = “like a lamp”) + क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (sthita = “standing/placed”); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying khadyotam)

• yat: which/that
• yat: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देशार्थ (demonstrative)

• manyase: you think/consider
• manyase: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (sg.)

• sāram: essence; what is substantial
• sāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन

• śṛṇu: hear; listen
• śṛṇu: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• tasya: of that
• tasya: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (m./n.), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: “also/even”)

• asāratām: insubstantiality; lack of essence
• asāratām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-sāratā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया (Acc.), एकवचन; भाववाचक (abstract noun)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night scene: a traveler mistakes a tiny firefly’s flicker for a steady oil-lamp; a teacher points out the error, symbolizing discernment between seeming essence and true essence.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly values can be mistaken like a firefly for a lamp; the verse urges clear discrimination and hearing the truth about impermanence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced in this verse; it serves as a general instruction on delusion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the ‘prescription’ is listening to teaching and developing discernment.