Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

एकजन्मसुखस्यार्थे सहस्राणि विलापयेत् । प्राज्ञो जन्मसहस्रेषु संचिनोत्येकजन्मनि

Transliteration

ekajanmasukhasyārthe sahasrāṇi vilāpayet | prājño janmasahasreṣu saṃcinotyekajanmani

Translation

Um der Freuden eines einzigen Lebens willen kann man die Früchte von Tausenden vergeuden. Doch der Weise sammelt in einem Leben Verdienst, das Tausende von Geburten trägt.

Word by Word

• ekajanmasukhasya: of the happiness of one life
• ekajanmasukhasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + janma (प्रातिपदिक) + sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सुख), षष्ठी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (एकस्य जन्मनः सुखम्)

• arthe: for the sake (of)
• arthe: Adhikarana (Purpose-locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the sake of)

• sahasrāṇi: thousands (of things/efforts)
• sahasrāṇi: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• vilāpayet: would waste away, would squander
• vilāpayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: lā (धातु) उपसर्गः vi-; vilāpayet (तिङन्त)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense (to waste/melt away)

• prājñaḥ: a wise person
• prājñaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prājña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• janmasahasreṣu: in thousands of births
• janmasahasreṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janma (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (जन्मानां सहस्रेषु)

• saṃcinoti: accumulates, gathers
• saṃcinoti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ci (धातु) उपसर्गः sam-; saṃcinoti (तिङन्त)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ekajanmani: in one birth
• ekajanmani: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + janman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (एकस्मिन् जन्मनि)

Speaker

Sārasvata (contextual continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage points to a balance scale: on one side fleeting pleasures (garlands, coins, wine-cup), on the other side enduring puṇya (tīrtha-water pot, lamp, scripture, offerings). Behind, a faint wheel of births illustrates thousands of lives.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Short-term pleasure can destroy long-term welfare; wise practice (notably dāna and dharma) builds merit that benefits many future births.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is specified; the teaching is about karma, rebirth, and the economy of puṇya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; it advocates dharmic accumulation of merit—commonly achieved through dāna, vrata, and devotion.