Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

तत्संप्राप्य तथा कुर्यान्न गच्छेन्नरकं यथा । सर्वस्य मूलं मानुष्यं तथा सर्वार्थसाधकम्

Transliteration

tatsaṃprāpya tathā kuryānna gacchennarakaṃ yathā | sarvasya mūlaṃ mānuṣyaṃ tathā sarvārthasādhakam

Translation

Having obtained this human birth, one should act so as not to fall into hell. Human life is the root of all things, and likewise the means for accomplishing every true aim.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (i.e., that human state/birth)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सम्प्राप्य: having attained
• सम्प्राप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्+प्र+√आप् (धातु)
• Form: अव्यय-भावे क्त्वा/ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerund/absolutive)

• तथा: thus, accordingly
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• कुर्यात्: should do (act)
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• गच्छेत्: should go
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नरकम्: hell
• नरकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यथा: so that; in such a way that
• यथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (comparative/manner)

• सर्वस्य: of all
• सर्वस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मूलम्: root, basis
• मूलम्: Samanaadhikarana (Predicate nominal/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मानुष्यम्: human state/birth
• मानुष्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थ/अन्वयार्थ (connector)

• सर्वार्थसाधकम्: accomplishing all aims
• सर्वार्थसाधकम्: Samanaadhikarana (Predicate adjective/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + अर्थ + साधक (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषाम् अर्थानाम् साधकम्)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A human figure holds a lamp labeled ‘mānuṣya’; its light reveals four paths (dharma/artha/kāma/mokṣa) while a dark chasm labeled ‘naraka’ lies beside the wrong path; the figure steps carefully on a dharma-marked bridge.

Characters & Entities

• Naraka
• HumanBirth
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Human birth is the key opportunity: act dharmically to avoid downfall and to fulfill life’s highest purposes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is indicated; the teaching is broadly applicable.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No particular rite; it prescribes dharmic conduct so that one does not incur hellish results.