Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 88

Devanagari script

बहुभिर्जन्मभिर्भोज्यं भुज्येतैकेन जन्मना । तच्च भुक्त्वात तस्त्वर्थो भवेदिति विनिश्चयः

Transliteration

bahubhirjanmabhirbhojyaṃ bhujyetaikena janmanā | tacca bhuktvāta tastvartho bhavediti viniścayaḥ

Translation

Was sonst in vielen Geburten erfahren werden müsste, kann in einer einzigen Geburt durchlebt werden; und ist dieses Erleben erschöpft, wird der wahre Sinn (des Fortschreitens der Seele) offenbar—so lautet die feste Entscheidung.

Word by Word

• बहुभिः: by many
• बहुभिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (many)

• जन्मभिः: by births
• जन्मभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भोज्यम्: the (karmic) experience to be undergone
• भोज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मफल-रूपं (that which is to be experienced)

• भुज्येत: should be experienced
• भुज्येत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

• एकेन: by one
• एकेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• जन्मना: by (a single) birth
• जन्मना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (and)

• भुक्त्वा: having experienced
• भुक्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अर्थः—अनुभूय (having experienced)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Sequence/अनन्तर)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then/thereupon)

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequence/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: ततः-इत्यव्यय (ablatival adverb: thereafter/from that)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Contrast/विरोध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• अर्थः: the purpose/result
• अर्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भवेत्: would be/should occur
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-अव्यय (thus)

• विनिश्चयः: the settled conclusion
• विनिश्चयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनिश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Bāla (the boy-sage, teaching in dialogue)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A single-life crucible: an ascetic/devotee endures a storm of symbolic karmas (dark clouds dissolving into light), culminating in a clear path or lotus of insight—‘artha’ revealed after exhaustion.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Karmic results can mature quickly; once they are endured and exhausted, one gains clarity toward the higher aim of dharma and liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it teaches a general Kaumārikākhaṇḍa doctrine on karmaphala and spiritual maturation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed here; the verse frames a principle about experiencing and exhausting karmic results.