Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

यश्चस्त्रिया समायोगः पंचयज्ञादिकर्मभिः । विश्वोपकृतये सृष्टा मूढैर्हा साध्यतेऽन्यथा

Transliteration

yaścastriyā samāyogaḥ paṃcayajñādikarmabhiḥ | viśvopakṛtaye sṛṣṭā mūḍhairhā sādhyate'nyathā

Translation

Union with a wife—together with the duties beginning with the five great sacrifices—was ordained for the welfare of the world; alas, the deluded pursue it in a distorted way.

Word by Word

• यः: who/that which
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

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

• स्त्रिया: with a woman
• स्त्रिया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• समायोगः: union/association
• समायोगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्-आ-युज् (धातु) → समायोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पञ्चयज्ञादिकर्मभिः: by acts such as the five sacrifices
• पञ्चयज्ञादिकर्मभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च-यज्ञ-आदि-कर्म (प्रातिपदिक; पञ्च + यज्ञ + आदि + कर्म)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (आदि-समास/निर्देश)

• विश्वोपकृतये: for the benefit of the world
• विश्वोपकृतये: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व-उपकृति (प्रातिपदिक; विश्व + उपकृति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (विश्वस्य उपकृतिः)

• सृष्टा: created/ordained
• सृष्टा: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सृज् (धातु) → सृष्ट (कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि/क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• मूढैः: by fools/deluded people
• मूढैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक; सृज्/मुह्-सम्बद्ध विशेषण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेष्य-रूपेण (by the deluded)

• हा: alas!
• हा: Sambandha (Exclamation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हा (अव्यय)
• Form: विस्मय/शोकबोधक-निपात (interjection)

• साध्यते: is accomplished/pursued
• साध्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: साध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• अन्यथा: otherwise/wrongly
• अन्यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

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

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder couple before a domestic fire-altar, offering oblations and feeding guests, while shadowy figures symbolize delusion twisting sacred union into mere indulgence.

Characters & Entities

• Pañcamahāyajña (five great sacrifices)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Marriage and household rites exist for loka-saṅgraha (world welfare); misuse stems from delusion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse speaks about universal household dharma rather than a particular pilgrimage place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Reference to pañcamahāyajñas (five great sacrifices) as core gṛhastha duties.