Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 72
Devanagari script
सर्वथोच्चपदारोहे यत्नः कार्यो विजानता । तन्न सिध्यति चेद्दैवान्नासौ दोषो विजानतः
Transliteration
sarvathoccapadārohe yatnaḥ kāryo vijānatā | tanna sidhyati ceddaivānnāsau doṣo vijānataḥ
Translation
সর্বোচ্চ পদে আরোহনের জন্য বিচক্ষণ ব্যক্তির সর্বপ্রকার চেষ্টা করা উচিত। যদি দैববশত সিদ্ধি না হয়, তবে তাতে জ্ঞানীর দোষ নেই।
Word by Word
सर्वथाin every way
सर्वथा:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसर्वथा (अव्यय)
Formअव्ययम्; प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम्
उच्चपदारोहेin the ascent to a high position
उच्चपदारोहे:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootउच्च (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक) + आरोह (प्रातिपदिक; from √रुह् with ā-)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative), एकवचनम्; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (उच्चस्य पदस्य आरोहः = ‘ascent to a high position’)
यत्नःeffort
यत्नः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्
कार्यःto be done; necessary
कार्यः:
Karta (Subject complement/कर्तृविशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootकार्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; from √कृ ‘to do’, ‘to be done’)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम् (predicative adjective) यत्नस्य
विजानताby the knowing person
विजानता:
Karana (Agent/means/करण)
TypeNoun
Root√ज्ञा (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
Formवर्तमानकाले कर्तरि शतृ-प्रत्ययान्तः (present active participle), पुंलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘by one who knows’
तत्that
तत्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम (refers to ‘that [effort/result]’)
नnot
न:
Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formअव्ययम्; निषेध-निपातः
सिध्यतिsucceeds; is accomplished
सिध्यति:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√सिध् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्
चेत्if
चेत्:
Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootचेत् (अव्यय)
Formअव्ययम्; शर्तार्थक-निपातः (conditional particle ‘if’)
दैवात्from fate; by destiny
दैवात्:
Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
TypeNoun
Rootदैव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गः, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कारणार्थे अपादानम् (‘due to fate’)
नnot
न:
Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formअव्ययम्; निषेध-निपातः
असौthat (person/thing)
असौ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअसद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम
दोषःfault; blame
दोषः:
Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootदोष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्
विजानतःof the one who knows
विजानतः:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Root√ज्ञा (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
Formवर्तमानकाले कर्तरि शतृ-प्रत्ययान्तः, पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive), एकवचनम्; ‘of the knowing (person)’
Speaker
Narrative voice (speaker not named; didactic counsel)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A didactic moment: a wise figure instructs a warrior about striving for the highest station; a symbolic ladder/peak in the background representing 'uccapada'.
FAQs
Dharma is fulfilled by sincere effort; outcomes may depend on daiva, so the wise remain blameless and steady.
No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is a universal dharma principle.
None; it prescribes ethical exertion rather than a specific rite.