Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

श्रमेण संकरात्तापशीतवातक्षुधा तृषा । क्रोधेन धर्मगेहस्य नापि नाशमवाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

śrameṇa saṃkarāttāpaśītavātakṣudhā tṛṣā | krodhena dharmagehasya nāpi nāśamavāpnuyāt

Translation

Weder durch Mühsal und Bedrängnis, noch durch Hitze und Kälte, Wind, Hunger und Durst—nicht einmal durch Zorn—gerät das „Haus des Dharma“ in Untergang.

Word by Word

• śrameṇa: by exertion/fatigue
• śrameṇa: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• saṃkarāt: from mixture/contamination
• saṃkarāt: Apādāna (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• tāpa-śīta-vāta-kṣudhā: heat, cold, wind, and hunger
• tāpa-śīta-vāta-kṣudhā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + śīta (प्रातिपदिक) + vāta (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣudhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (तापश्च शीतं च वातश्च क्षुधा च)

• tṛṣā: thirst
• tṛṣā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tṛṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• krodhena: by anger
• krodhena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• dharma-gehasya: of the house of dharma (righteousness)
• dharma-gehasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + geha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य गेहम्)

• na: not
• na: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध, अव्यय

• api: even
• api: Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-निपात (particle: 'even/also'), अव्यय

• nāśam: destruction
• nāśam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• avāpnuyāt: would attain/reach
• avāpnuyāt: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ava-āp (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातुः—अव√आप् (to obtain/reach)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-leader shelters a small shrine/house labeled ‘Dharma’ against storm winds and scorching sun; despite hunger and fatigue, he keeps a lamp lit. A red, serpent-like figure of ‘krodha’ tries to enter but is barred at the threshold.

Characters & Entities

• dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma remains firm when one endures life’s extremes without letting anger topple inner discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is specified; the verse praises steadfast dharma as the true refuge.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; it implicitly recommends forbearance (kṣamā) and mastery over krodha (anger).