Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 132

Devanagari script

उपर्युपरि देवानामन्योन्यातिशये स्थितम् । नरैः पुण्यफलं स्वर्गे मूलच्छेदेन भुज्यते

Transliteration

uparyupari devānāmanyonyātiśaye sthitam | naraiḥ puṇyaphalaṃ svarge mūlacchedena bhujyate

Translation

Higher and higher among the gods, each stands surpassing the other. In heaven, men enjoy the fruit of merit, yet in enjoying it they cut off the root—consuming their accumulated merit.

Word by Word

• उपरि: above
• उपरि: Desha-adhikarana (Locative sense/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण/adverb): ‘above’

• उपरि: above (again)
• उपरि: Desha-adhikarana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (पुनरुक्ति): ‘higher and higher’ इत्यर्थे

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• अन्योन्य-अतिशये: in mutual superiority (one over another)
• अन्योन्य-अतिशये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अतिशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अन्योन्यस्य अतिशयः)

• स्थितम्: is situated
• स्थितम्: Kriya-predicative (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP): नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (इह) ‘स्थितम्’ = situated/placed

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• पुण्यफलम्: the fruit of merit
• पुण्यफलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पुण्यस्य फलम्)

• स्वर्गे: in heaven
• स्वर्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• मूलच्छेदेन: by cutting at the root (root-cutting)
• मूलच्छेदेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + छेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मूलस्य छेदः)

• भुज्यते: is enjoyed, is consumed
• भुज्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive sense): ‘is enjoyed/consumed’

Speaker

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

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vertical, tiered svarga with multiple deva-levels, each more resplendent than the last; below, a human soul holding a ‘root’ labeled puṇya that is being cut/consumed as pleasures are enjoyed.

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Heaven is not final liberation: enjoyment there consumes the very merit that produced it; seek mokṣa through enduring dharma and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific location is praised in this verse; it discusses the general purāṇic view of svarga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; the teaching encourages pursuing higher spiritual goals beyond merit-based enjoyment.