Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

महत्स्वपि न चार्थेषु धर्मज्ञान्धर्मवत्सलान् । न मिथ्यावचनं येषां जन्मप्रभृति विद्यते

Transliteration

mahatsvapi na cārtheṣu dharmajñāndharmavatsalān | na mithyāvacanaṃ yeṣāṃ janmaprabhṛti vidyate

Translation

Even in matters of great wealth, those who know dharma and cherish dharma do not stray from it. False speech is not found in them from birth onward.

Word by Word

• mahatsu: in great (matters)
• mahatsu: Adhikarana (Location-qualifier/अधिकरणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (अर्थेषु)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (even/also)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (not)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• artheṣu: in matters/wealth-affairs
• artheṣu: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• dharma-jñān: knowers of dharma
• dharma-jñān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (धर्मं जानन्ति)

• dharma-vatsalān: devoted to dharma
• dharma-vatsalān: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + vatsala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (धर्मज्ञान्)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (not)

• mithyā-vacanam: false speech
• mithyā-vacanam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mithyā (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (मिथ्या एव वचनम्)

• yeṣām: of whom
• yeṣām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• janma-prabhṛti: from birth onward
• janma-prabhṛti: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: janma (प्रातिपदिक) + prabhṛti (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; अव्यय (from birth onwards)

• vidyate: exists/is found
• vidyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (विद्)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene portrait of dharmic elders and officials refusing piles of gold offered as bribe; their faces calm, hands in restraint; behind them a subtle Śiva-liṅga or dharma-emblem indicating inner steadfastness.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Love of dharma expresses itself as unwavering truthfulness, especially when wealth and temptation are present.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse teaches ethical character as part of dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it defines the qualities of trustworthy, dharma-rooted persons.