Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

अश्वमेधं विना किंचित्स्वर्गं भोक्तं न पार्यते

Transliteration

aśvamedhaṃ vinā kiṃcitsvargaṃ bhoktaṃ na pāryate

Translation

অশ্বমেধ যজ্ঞ ব্যতীত স্বর্গের সামান্য অংশও লাভ ও ভোগ করা যায় না।

Word by Word

• aśvamedham: Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)
• aśvamedham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśvamedha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• vinā: without
• vinā: Apadana (Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादानार्थक अव्यय/उपपद (preposition-like indeclinable governing accusative: ‘without’)

• kiṃcit: anything/at all
• kiṃcit: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial: ‘at all’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (indefinite)

• svargam: heaven
• svargam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• bhoktum: to enjoy
• bhoktum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhuj (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त infinitive (भावे), ‘to enjoy’

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधबोधक अव्यय (negation)

• pāryate: is possible
• pāryate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/शक्यर्थे प्रयोगः (‘is possible/can be done’)

Speaker

Uśanā (Śukra) (continuing counsel)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A terse, emphatic pronouncement: without Aśvamedha, svarga cannot be enjoyed—visualized as a closed celestial gate with yajña-symbol as key.

Characters & Entities

• Aśvamedha
• Svarga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desired enjoyments are depicted as dependent on prescribed dharmic means; ends are not separated from rightful discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the focus is on sacrificial qualification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Aśvamedha is asserted as the necessary rite for attaining svarga (in this narrative frame).