Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 91

Devanagari script

स्वनुष्ठितोऽपि धर्मः स्यात्क्लेशायैव विनाशिवम् । दुराचारस्य देवोपि प्राहेति भगवान्हरः

Transliteration

svanuṣṭhito'pi dharmaḥ syātkleśāyaiva vināśivam | durācārasya devopi prāheti bhagavānharaḥ

Translation

Selbst Dharma, auch wenn er vollzogen wird, wird für den Menschen von üblem Wandel nur zur Ursache von Leid und bringt kein Heil; so hat es der Herr Hara verkündet.

Word by Word

• स्वनुष्ठितः: performed by oneself
• स्वनुष्ठितः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अनुष्ठित (कृदन्त; √स्था with अनु-उपसर्ग, क्त)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः): स्वयम् अनुष्ठितः; पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा एकवचनम्; धर्मस्य विशेषणम्

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (particle) = ‘even/also’

• धर्मः: dharma; religious duty
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st) एकवचनम् = Nominative singular

• स्यात्: would become
• स्यात्: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् = ‘may be/would become’

• क्लेशाय: for suffering
• क्लेशाय: Sampradāna (Purpose/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्लेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, चतुर्थी (4th) एकवचनम् = Dative singular (प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदान)

• एव: indeed; only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (emphatic particle)

• विनाशिवम्: destructive; leading to ruin
• विनाशिवम्: Karma (Object/Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनाशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (2nd) एकवचनम् = Accusative singular; विशेषणरूपेण (धर्मम्)

• दुराचारस्य: of bad conduct
• दुराचारस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुराचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी (6th) एकवचनम् = Genitive singular

• देवः: a god
• देवः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा एकवचनम् = Nominative singular

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (particle)

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् = ‘said/declared’

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्त्यर्थक-अव्ययम् (quotative particle)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा एकवचनम् = Nominative singular; विशेष्यः (हरः)

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा एकवचनम् = Nominative singular

Speaker

Bāla (citing Śiva/Hara as authority)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contrast tableau: one figure performs elaborate rites while shadowy symbols of misconduct cling to him; Śiva (as Hara) appears as a stern yet compassionate witness, indicating that dharma without ācāra turns to suffering.

Characters & Entities

• Hara
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual or duty without right conduct does not yield auspiciousness; ethics is integral to dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the verse emphasizes moral discipline as the foundation of religious practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, it warns that ritual performance must be joined to good conduct; no single rite is specified.