Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 100

Devanagari script

व्यापारदक्षा सततमहं चैव सुमध्यमे । हिमालयं न गच्छामि न याचामि कथंचन

Transliteration

vyāpāradakṣā satatamahaṃ caiva sumadhyame | himālayaṃ na gacchāmi na yācāmi kathaṃcana

Translation

Ich, stets geschickt im Vollbringen der Werke, o Schlanktaillige, gehe nicht zum Himālaya und bettle auf keinerlei Weise.

Word by Word

• व्यापार-दक्षा: skilled in work/activities
• व्यापार-दक्षा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यापार (प्रातिपदिक) + दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• सततम्: always, constantly
• सततम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (speaker), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• सुमध्यमे: O slender-waisted one
• सुमध्यमे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, संबोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘सु-मध्यमा यस्याः सा’

• हिमालयम्: the Himalaya
• हिमालयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमालय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• गच्छामि: I go
• गच्छामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• याचामि: I beg/ask
• याचामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: याच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कथंचन: in any way at all
• कथंचन: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय) + चन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘कथम्’ (how) + ‘चन’ (emphatic/indefinite particle) = ‘in any way/at all’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-Himālaya sphere (implicit)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A composed speaker addresses a slender-waisted goddess/consort, declaring he will not go to the Himalaya nor beg; the Himalaya looms as a distant, snow-bright ideal behind a restrained domestic dialogue.

Characters & Entities

• Himālaya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It conveys self-sufficiency and purposeful action, implying divine agency does not rely on worldly seeking or petitioning.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Himālaya is referenced broadly; the larger section is Kedāra-khaṇḍa tied to the Kedāra Himalayan sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.