Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

नमोऽधर्माय महते न विद्मो यस्य वै भवम् । परमाणुमपि व्यक्तं कोत्र विद्यामदः सताम्

Transliteration

namo'dharmāya mahate na vidmo yasya vai bhavam | paramāṇumapi vyaktaṃ kotra vidyāmadaḥ satām

Translation

礼敬伟大的阿达摩（Adharma，不法）——其威势我等莫能测知！连一微尘之真实尚未明了，贤者之中又何处容得下学识之傲？

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Kriya (Elliptic act of saluting/क्रिया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नमः-प्रयोगः दत्तिविभक्त्या सह (salutation construction)

• अधर्माय: to Adharma (unrighteousness personified)
• अधर्माय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• महते: great
• महते: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् अधर्माय

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• विद्मः: we know
• विद्मः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अनुनासिक्य-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• भवम्: nature, state, being
• भवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• परमाणुम्: an atom
• परमाणुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमाणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवाद-अव्यय (also/even)

• व्यक्तम्: manifest, clearly known
• व्यक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यक्त (कृदन्त/विशेषण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् परमाणुम्

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• उत्र: there/where
• उत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: there/where)

• विद्यामदः: pride of learning
• विद्यामदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + मद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विद्यायाः मदः)

• सताम्: of the good (people)
• सताम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

Speaker

Yājñavalkya (following the transition in 78)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (implied) the audience; the utterance is by Yājñavalkya within the narrated scene

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative rishi (Yājñavalkya) bows inwardly, hands joined, eyes lowered; behind him a symbolic motif: a tiny atom-like spark contrasted with a vast dark cloud labeled ‘Adharma/Avidyā’, indicating the disproportion between human knowing and cosmic forces.

Characters & Entities

• Adharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Because knowledge is limited and adharma is subtle, the wise renounce arrogance and remain humble.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No sacred geography appears in this verse; it is a philosophical reflection within the dialogue.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it prescribes an inner discipline—freedom from vidyā-mada (pride of learning).