Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

ममैषा वर्तते बुद्धिर्न भोक्तव्यं मया ध्रुवम् । न मयोपार्जितं भद्रे पापबुद्ध्या शुभं क्वचित्

Transliteration

mamaiṣā vartate buddhirna bhoktavyaṃ mayā dhruvam | na mayopārjitaṃ bhadre pāpabuddhyā śubhaṃ kvacit

Translation

„Dies ist der feste Entschluss in meinem Geist: Gewiss werde ich davon nicht essen. O glückverheißende Frau, durch sündhafte Gesinnung kann ich niemals wahrhaft Gutes erlangen, und dies ist auch nicht durch mein eigenes rechtes Mühen erworben.“

Word by Word

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (genitive singular)

• eṣā: this
• eṣā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vartate: arises/exists
• vartate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• buddhiḥ: thought, intention
• buddhiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• bhoktavyam: to be eaten
• bhoktavyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhuj (धातु) + tavya (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate: to be eaten)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Kartr̥ (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (instrumental: by me)

• dhruvam: certainly
• dhruvam: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: certainly)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• upārjitam: acquired, earned
• upārjitam: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-ṛj (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with śubham)

• bhadre: O good lady
• bhadre: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; संबोधन-पद

• pāpabuddhyā: with sinful intent
• pāpabuddhyā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa + buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (pāpā buddhiḥ = sinful intention)

• śubham: good (merit/benefit)
• śubham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• kvacit: ever, at any time
• kvacit: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kvacit (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (indefinite adverb: ever/anywhere)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative/dialogue context suggests a male householder/Śabara figure speaking to his wife)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A humble Śabara, earnest and resolute, raises a hand in refusal while speaking to his wife; the setting suggests a simple hut near a river, with offerings nearby.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Merit (śubha/puṇya) cannot arise from a sinful motive; dharma begins with refusing what is unrighteously obtained.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse itself is ethical instruction; the broader setting is Revā Khaṇḍa (Narmadā/Revā sacred geography), but no single tīrtha is named in the line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; it emphasizes inner discipline and purity of intention.