Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 120

Devanagari script

त्रिवर्गसाधने यत्नः कर्तव्यो गृहमेधिना । तत्संसिद्धौ गृहस्थस्य सिद्धिरत्र परत्र च

Transliteration

trivargasādhane yatnaḥ kartavyo gṛhamedhinā | tatsaṃsiddhau gṛhasthasya siddhiratra paratra ca

Translation

A householder should strive to accomplish the three aims of life—dharma, artha, and kāma. When these are duly fulfilled, the gṛhastha attains success both in this world and in the world to come.

Word by Word

• त्रि: three
• त्रि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; (समासाङ्ग)

• वर्ग: group; set
• वर्ग: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• साधने: in accomplishing; in the means of attainment
• साधने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• त्रिवर्गसाधने: in the attainment of the three aims (dharma-artha-kāma)
• त्रिवर्गसाधने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘त्रिवर्गस्य साधने’

• यत्नः: effort
• यत्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कर्तव्यः: to be done; should be made
• कर्तव्यः: Kriya-visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• गृहमेधिना: by the householder (sacrificing householder)
• गृहमेधिना: Karana/Karta (Agent-instrument/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहमेधिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• संसिद्धौ: in the accomplishment; on success
• संसिद्धौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तत्संसिद्धौ: upon its accomplishment
• तत्संसिद्धौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + संसिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘तस्य संसिद्धौ’

• गृहस्थस्य: of the householder
• गृहस्थस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सिद्धिः: success; attainment
• सिद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (here)

• परत्र: there; in the next world
• परत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (there; in the next world)

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

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder at the center of a balanced composition: family, livelihood tools, and a small shrine; three paths labeled dharma, artha, kāma converge into a single road leading to ‘siddhi’ in both realms.

Characters & Entities

• Gṛhastha
• Trivarga (Dharma-Artha-Kāma)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma affirms the householder’s life as a legitimate spiritual path when it harmonizes dharma, prosperity, and rightful enjoyment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; it is a general instruction on gṛhastha-dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A life-practice prescription: disciplined effort toward the trivarga as part of dharmic household life.