Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

अत्र धर्मार्थकामानां मोक्षस्य च उपार्जनम् । अन्यत्र भोगभूमिश्च सर्वत्र कुरुनंदन

Transliteration

atra dharmārthakāmānāṃ mokṣasya ca upārjanam | anyatra bhogabhūmiśca sarvatra kurunaṃdana

Translation

Hier werden die Errungenschaften von Dharma, Artha, Kāma und auch Mokṣa gepflegt und erworben. Anderswo jedoch sind es vornehmlich Stätten bloßen Genusses—überall, o Freude der Kurus.

Word by Word

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place: here)

• धर्मार्थकामानाम्: of dharma, artha, and kāma
• धर्मार्थकामानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (masculine, genitive plural)

• मोक्षस्य: of mokṣa
• मोक्षस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, genitive singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• उपार्जनम्: attainment/acquisition
• उपार्जनम्: Karta (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उप + अर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-ल्युट्-प्रत्ययान्त-भाववाचक (verbal noun/action noun); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter, nom/acc singular)

• अन्यत्र: elsewhere
• अन्यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: elsewhere)

• भोगभूमिः: a land of enjoyment
• भोगभूमिः: Karta (Predicate nominal/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक) + भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (feminine, nominative singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सर्वत्र: everywhere
• सर्वत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: everywhere)

• कुरुनन्दन: O descendant/joy of the Kurus
• कुरुनन्दन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, vocative singular)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced); vocative 'Kurunandana' indicates traditional epic-style address

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhārata-varṣa (karma-bhūmi)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kurunandana

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic contrast scene: on one side, ascetics, householders, and pilgrims in Bhārata practicing dāna, japa, and tīrtha-snān; on the other, celestial beings in luxuriant gardens absorbed in enjoyment, labeled ‘bhoga-bhūmi’.

Characters & Entities

• Bhārata (implied)
• Dharma
• Artha
• Kāma
• Mokṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhārata is praised as karma-bhūmi—the privileged realm where spiritual striving can culminate in liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha; the entire Bhārata-varṣa is exalted as the field for dharma and mokṣa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; the verse emphasizes sādhanā and attainment of the puruṣārthas.