Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

परित्यज्य प्रियान्प्राणान्धनार्थे हि महाभयम् । प्रविशंति महालोभात्समुद्रमटवीं गिरिम्

Transliteration

parityajya priyānprāṇāndhanārthe hi mahābhayam | praviśaṃti mahālobhātsamudramaṭavīṃ girim

Translation

Um des Reichtums willen geben sie sogar das geliebte Leben preis; von großer Gier getrieben, begeben sie sich in furchtbare Gefahren: ins Meer, in die Wildnis und in die Berge.

Word by Word

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• परित्यज्य: Kriya-visheshaṇa (पूर्वक्रिया/Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-tyaj (धातु √त्यज्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया; धातु √त्यज् (परित्यज्)

• प्रियान्: dear
• प्रियान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• प्राणान्: lives/breaths
• प्राणान्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• धनार्थे: for wealth’s sake
• धनार्थे: Nimitta/Hetu (Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana-artha (प्रातिपदिक; धन + अर्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अर्थे = हेतु/प्रयोजन-स्थाने (for the sake of)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अवधान/कारणार्थक

• महाभयम्: great danger
• महाभयम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-bhaya (प्रातिपदिक; महा + भय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रविशन्ति: they enter
• प्रविशन्ति: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-viś (धातु √विश्)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• महालोभात्: from great greed
• महालोभात्: Hetu (Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-lobha (प्रातिपदिक; महा + लोभ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; कारणार्थे (from/through)

• समुद्रम्: the sea
• समुद्रम्: Karma (Object; destination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अटवीम्: forest
• अटवीम्: Karma (Object; destination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṭavī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• गिरिम्: mountain
• गिरिम्: Karma (Object; destination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sārasvata (contextual continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A merchant-like figure, eyes wide with greed, steps toward three looming dangers: a stormy ocean, a dark forest, and jagged mountains—while a calm ascetic points toward a safer sacred path.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humans endure extreme danger for wealth, revealing how strong greed is—and why relinquishing wealth through dāna is spiritually challenging.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse uses common landscapes (ocean, forest, mountain) as images of worldly risk.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it supports the argument for practicing charity by highlighting the force of lobha (greed).