Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

व्याधिभिश्चाभिभूयेत सदाल्पायुः सुदुःखभाक् । त्याज्यं कर्म पराधीनं कार्यमात्मवशं सदा

Transliteration

vyādhibhiścābhibhūyeta sadālpāyuḥ suduḥkhabhāk | tyājyaṃ karma parādhīnaṃ kāryamātmavaśaṃ sadā

Translation

Overpowered by diseases, ever short-lived and a sharer of great sorrow—therefore one should abandon work done in dependence on others, and always undertake work that remains under one’s own self-control.

Word by Word

• व्याधिभिः: by diseases
• व्याधिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

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

• अभिभूयेत: should be overpowered
• अभिभूयेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) उपसर्गः अभि-
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘अभिभू’ = overpower

• सदाल्पायुः: always short-lived
• सदाल्पायुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदा + अल्पायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (सदा-अल्पायुः)

• सुदुःखभाक्: a great sufferer
• सुदुःखभाक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + दुःख + भाज् (धातु) → भाक् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (दुःखं भजते इति), ‘bhāk’ = partaker

• त्याज्यम्: to be abandoned
• त्याज्यम्: Predicate (Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्याज्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कृदन्तः—यत् (त्यज् धातोः), विधेय-विशेषणम्

• कर्म: work/action
• कर्म: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पराधीनम्: dependent on others
• पराधीनम्: Predicate (Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर + अधीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (परस्य अधीनम्)

• कार्यम्: a duty/what should be done
• कार्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कृदन्तः—यत् (कृ धातोः), ‘that which is to be done’

• आत्मवशम्: under one’s own control
• आत्मवशम्: Predicate (Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa/विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् + वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (आत्मनः वशम् = under one’s own control)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Unspecified (Dharmāraṇyakhaṇḍa narrative voice)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moral allegory: a frail, disease-stricken man bound by ropes labeled 'parādhīna', contrasted with a steady yogic worker holding tools and a japa-mālā labeled 'ātmavaśa'.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A dharmic life favors self-mastery; dependence that compromises integrity leads to suffering and decline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse offers practical dharma counsel.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual; it prescribes avoiding parādhīna (others-controlled) work and choosing ātmavaśa (self-governed) duties.