Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

मुहूर्तमपि जीवेत नरः शुक्लेन कर्मणा । न कल्पमपि जीवेत लोकद्वयविरोधिना

Transliteration

muhūrtamapi jīveta naraḥ śuklena karmaṇā | na kalpamapi jīveta lokadvayavirodhinā

Translation

Ein Mensch soll auch nur einen Augenblick durch reines, lichtes Handeln leben; doch nicht einmal ein Äon durch ein Verhalten, das beiden Welten feind ist.

Word by Word

• मुहूर्तम्: for a moment
• मुहूर्तम्: Karma (Extent/कर्म-काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण (accusative of extent)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) ‘even’

• जीवेत: should live
• जीवेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• शुक्लेन: pure/white
• शुक्लेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; ‘कर्मणा’ इति विशेषण (instrumental)

• कर्मणा: by (good) action
• कर्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• कल्पम्: for an aeon
• कल्पम्: Karma (Extent/कर्म-काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण (accusative of extent)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) ‘even’

• जीवेत: should live
• जीवेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• लोकद्वयविरोधिना: by one opposed to both worlds (i.e., by harmful conduct)
• लोकद्वयविरोधिना: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोक + द्वय + विरोधिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; ‘लोकद्वयस्य विरोधी’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासः; ‘जीवेत’ इत्यस्य सहकारक-निर्देश (instrumental of association/means)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), by section-context (Māheśvarakhaṇḍa discourse)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇa interlocutor

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A child-sage delivers a sharp aphorism: a moment of pure action outweighs an aeon of harmful conduct; listeners struck by the force of the teaching.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Quality of dharmic life outweighs length of life; pure action benefits both worlds, while adharma ruins both.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned; the focus is on the ethical valuation of life and action.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is prescribed; it recommends śukla-karma—pure, dharmic conduct.