Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 146

Devanagari script

निरयादिमनुष्यांतं तस्मात्सर्वं त्यजेद्बुधः । स्कन्धात्सकन्धं नयेद्भारं विश्रामं मन्यतेन्यथा

Transliteration

nirayādimanuṣyāṃtaṃ tasmātsarvaṃ tyajedbudhaḥ | skandhātsakandhaṃ nayedbhāraṃ viśrāmaṃ manyatenyathā

Translation

Darum soll der Weise alles entsagen — von höllischen Zuständen an bis hin zum Menschsein. Sonst gleicht er einem, der die Last von einer Schulter auf die andere verlagert und den bloßen Wechsel für wahre Ruhe hält.

Word by Word

• निरयादि-मनुष्य-अन्तम्: (everything) from hell etc. up to mankind (i.e., the whole range)
• निरयादि-मनुष्य-अन्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरय (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (निरयादि…मनुष्यान्तम् = ‘निरयादि-आरभ्य मनुष्यपर्यन्तम्’)

• तस्मात्: therefore; from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादानार्थे (ablative sense) ‘therefore/from that’

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• त्यजेत्: should abandon
• त्यजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• बुधः: a wise man
• बुधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• स्कन्धात्: from (one) shoulder
• स्कन्धात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (अपादान), एकवचन

• सकन्धम्: onto/with the shoulder
• सकन्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + स (उपसर्ग/सह-अर्थक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः—‘स + कन्धम्’ = ‘with (another) shoulder/onto the shoulder’

• नयेत्: should carry/lead
• नयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• भारम्: a burden
• भारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• विश्रामम्: rest
• विश्रामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• मन्यते: thinks/considers
• मन्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A weary traveler shifts a heavy bundle from one shoulder to the other, believing he has rested; behind him loom symbolic realms from hell to human life, while a serene ascetic points toward true release.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Real freedom is not rearranging worldly burdens but renouncing attachment to the entire cycle of existence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse is a general mokṣa-oriented instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; the prescription is inner renunciation and clarity about samsāra.