Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

अत्र धर्मार्थकामानां मोक्षस्य च उपार्जनम् । अन्यत्र भोगभूमिश्च सर्वत्र कुरुनंदन

Transliteration

atra dharmārthakāmānāṃ mokṣasya ca upārjanam | anyatra bhogabhūmiśca sarvatra kurunaṃdana

Translation

هنا تُنمّى وتُكتسَب منازل الدَّرْمَا (dharma) والأَرْثَا (artha) والكَامَا (kāma)، وكذلك الموكشا (mokṣa). أمّا في غيره فالغالب أنّها أراضٍ للتمتّع وحده—في كل مكان، يا بهجة الكُرُو (Kuru-nandana).

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place: here)

• धर्मार्थकामानाम्: of dharma, artha, and kāma
• धर्मार्थकामानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (masculine, genitive plural)

• मोक्षस्य: of mokṣa
• मोक्षस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, genitive singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• उपार्जनम्: attainment/acquisition
• उपार्जनम्: Karta (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उप + अर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-ल्युट्-प्रत्ययान्त-भाववाचक (verbal noun/action noun); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter, nom/acc singular)

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere
• अन्यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: elsewhere)

• भोगभूमिः: a land of enjoyment
• भोगभूमिः: Karta (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक) + भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (feminine, nominative singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: everywhere)

• कुरुनन्दन: O descendant/joy of the Kurus
• कुरुनन्दन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, vocative singular)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced); vocative 'Kurunandana' indicates traditional epic-style address

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhārata-varṣa (karma-bhūmi)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kurunandana

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic contrast scene: on one side, ascetics, householders, and pilgrims in Bhārata practicing dāna, japa, and tīrtha-snān; on the other, celestial beings in luxuriant gardens absorbed in enjoyment, labeled ‘bhoga-bhūmi’.

Characters & Entities

• Bhārata (implied)
• Dharma
• Artha
• Kāma
• Mokṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhārata is praised as karma-bhūmi—the privileged realm where spiritual striving can culminate in liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha; the entire Bhārata-varṣa is exalted as the field for dharma and mokṣa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; the verse emphasizes sādhanā and attainment of the puruṣārthas.