Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 127

Devanagari script

चिरं धर्मान्निषेवेत कुर्याच्चान्वेषणं चिरम् । चिरमन्वास्य विदुषश्चिरमिष्टानुपास्य च

Transliteration

ciraṃ dharmānniṣeveta kuryāccānveṣaṇaṃ ciram | ciramanvāsya viduṣaściramiṣṭānupāsya ca

Translation

One should practice dharma steadily for a long time, and one should inquire and investigate for a long time; one should attend upon the learned for long, and likewise worship the chosen deities for long.

Word by Word

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• धर्मान्: duties/virtues
• धर्मान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); बहुवचन — accusative plural

• निषेवेत: should practice/serve
• निषेवेत: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-सेव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• अन्वेषणम्: investigation/search
• अन्वेषणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्वेषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचन — accusative singular

• चिरम्: for long
• चिरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• चिरम्: for long
• चिरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• अन्वास्य: having attended/served closely
• अन्वास्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु-आस् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय-समकक्ष)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव-रूप कृदन्त (absolutive/gerund): 'having sat/served near'

• विदुषः: of the wise man
• विदुषः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th); एकवचन — genitive singular

• चिरम्: for long
• चिरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• इष्टान्: the beloved/desired (persons)
• इष्टान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष्ट (इष्-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); बहुवचन — accusative plural; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (desired/beloved persons)

• उपास्य: having served/worshipped
• उपास्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उप-आस् (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव-रूप कृदन्त (absolutive): 'having worshipped/served'

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

Speaker

Gautama (quoted within Sūta’s narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A timeline-like composition: a seeker repeatedly visiting a guru, studying, performing daily worship to iṣṭa-devatā, and practicing dharma across seasons—showing ‘chiram’ as continuity.

Characters & Entities

• Gautama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual maturity comes from sustained practice: long-term dharma, careful inquiry, service to the wise, and steady devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular sacred geography is named; the teaching is universal.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upāsanā (sustained worship) and service to the learned are recommended as long-term disciplines.