Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

तस्मात्सदा शुभं कार्यमविच्छिन्नसुखार्थिभिः । विच्छिद्यंतेऽन्यथा भोगा ग्रीष्मे कुसरितो यथा

Transliteration

tasmātsadā śubhaṃ kāryamavicchinnasukhārthibhiḥ | vicchidyaṃte'nyathā bhogā grīṣme kusarito yathā

Translation

Therefore, those who seek unbroken happiness should always do what is good. Otherwise, enjoyments are cut off—like little streams that dry up in summer.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case/Ablative), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• शुभम्: good (deed)
• शुभम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• कार्यम्: should be done
• कार्यम्: Vidhi (Obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + कार्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भाव्य/कर्तव्यार्थक कृदन्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (predicative)

• अविच्छिन्न-सुख-अर्थिभिः: by those who seek uninterrupted happiness
• अविच्छिन्न-सुख-अर्थिभिः: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविच्छिन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + सुख (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (sukhārthin = सुखस्य अर्थी), उपपद-समास with अविच्छिन्न; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• विच्छिद्यन्ते: are cut off/cease
• विच्छिद्यन्ते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + छिद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (passive/intransitive sense)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: otherwise)

• भोगाः: enjoyments/experiences
• भोगाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), बहुवचन

• ग्रीष्मे: in summer
• ग्रीष्मे: Adhikarana (Time-locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रीष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• कु-सरितः: poor streams (small rivers)
• कु-सरितः: Upamana (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + सरित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (कुसरितः = कुत्सिता सरितः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: Upama-sambandha (Comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक अव्यय (comparative particle)

Speaker

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

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moral allegory: a broad perennial river (symbol of continuous śubha) flows beside a thin rivulet that dries under a blazing summer sun (symbol of broken bhoga). A teacher points to the landscape while instructing a pilgrim.

Characters & Entities

• Śubha karma
• Bhoga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Lasting happiness depends on consistent virtuous conduct; pleasure without dharma is unstable and quickly ends.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred place is praised in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No particular rite is listed; the prescription is continual śubha conduct as a daily discipline.