Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

एवं यत्नात्साध्यमानं स्वकं गार्हस्थ्यमुत्तमम् । गुणाय महते भूयादगुणायाप्यसाधितम्

Transliteration

evaṃ yatnātsādhyamānaṃ svakaṃ gārhasthyamuttamam | guṇāya mahate bhūyādaguṇāyāpyasādhitam

Translation

Thus, one’s own excellent householder life, when carefully cultivated through effort, becomes a great source of virtue; but if left uncultivated, it also becomes a source of vice.

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Avyaya (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रकारे)

• yatnāt: from (due to) effort
• yatnāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; हेतौ/निमित्ते (from/through effort)

• sādhyamānam: being pursued/accomplished
• sādhyamānam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sādh (साध् धातु) + śānac (शानच्)
• Form: कृदन्त (शानच्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘being accomplished’

• svakam: one’s own
• svakam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svaka (प्रातिपदिक; स्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘स्वकम्’ = one’s own

• gārhasthyam: householder life
• gārhasthyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gārhasthya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• uttamam: excellent
• uttamam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम्

• guṇāya: for virtue
• guṇāya: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे

• mahate: for great (good)
• mahate: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; ‘महते’ = for great (benefit)

• bhūyāt: may become; may lead to
• bhūyāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• aguṇāya: for vice
• aguṇāya: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aguṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• api: even
• api: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अपि)

• asādhitam: if not accomplished (it leads to harm)
• asādhitam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + sādh (साध् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘असाधितम्’ = not accomplished

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration to sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A well-ordered household shrine with Śiva-liṅga or family deity, the couple performing evening lamp offering; contrasted subtly with a neglected corner showing disorder, emphasizing ‘sādhita’ vs ‘asādhita’.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Gṛhastha life is not automatically pure or impure; it becomes elevating through conscious discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No sacred geography appears in this verse; it is a general dharma instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual; it prescribes sustained effort (yatna) in dharmic living.