Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

संतोषामृततृप्तानां यत्सुखं शांतचेतसाम् । कुतस्तद्धनलुब्धानामितश्चेतश्च धावताम्

Transliteration

saṃtoṣāmṛtatṛptānāṃ yatsukhaṃ śāṃtacetasām | kutastaddhanalubdhānāmitaścetaśca dhāvatām

Translation

Das Glück derer, deren Geist friedvoll ist und vom Nektar der Zufriedenheit gesättigt wird—wie sollte es den Geldgierigen gehören, deren Sinn hierhin und dorthin jagt?

Word by Word

• saṃtoṣa-amṛta-tṛptānām: of those satisfied with the nectar of contentment
• saṃtoṣa-amṛta-tṛptānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃtoṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + amṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + tṛpta (√tṛp (धातु) + kta)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (saṃtoṣa-amṛtena tṛptāḥ = satisfied with the nectar of contentment)

• yat: which
• yat: Sambandha (Relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (relative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• sukham: happiness
• sukham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• śānta-cetasām: of the calm-minded
• śānta-cetasām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śānta (√śam (धातु) + kta) + cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (cetas), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (śāntaṃ cetas yeṣām = of those whose minds are calm)

• kutaḥ: whence/how (could it be)
• kutaḥ: Sambandha (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kutaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative adverb: whence/how)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• dhana-lubdhānām: of those greedy for wealth
• dhana-lubdhānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक) + lubdha (√lubh (धातु) + kta)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (dhane lubdhāḥ = greedy for wealth)

• itaḥ: from here/this way
• itaḥ: Apadana/Direction
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: itaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक/अपादानार्थक अव्यय (adverb: from here/this way)

• cetaḥ: mind
• cetaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• dhāvatām: of those running about
• dhāvatām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhāv (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्यय कृदन्त (present active participle), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

Speaker

Gautama (contextual continuation)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇas (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two contrasting groups: serene ascetics/pilgrims drinking from a symbolic ‘nectar of contentment’ vessel (amṛta-kalaśa), faces tranquil; opposite, merchants/greedy seekers sprint between piles of coins and houses, eyes wide, minds scattered.

Characters & Entities

• santoṣa
• dhanalobhā (wealth-greed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True happiness arises from contentment and a quiet mind; greed creates restlessness and blocks lasting peace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular sacred site is mentioned in this verse; it is a general dharmic contrast between santoṣa and lobha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is named; the instruction is ethical and psychological—abandon greed and cultivate contentment.