Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

केचिच्छ्रेयो धर्ममाहुरैश्वर्यं त्यागभोजनम् । केचिद्दमं तपो द्रव्यं भोगान्मुक्तिं च केचन

Transliteration

kecicchreyo dharmamāhuraiśvaryaṃ tyāgabhojanam | keciddamaṃ tapo dravyaṃ bhogānmuktiṃ ca kecana

Translation

Some declare dharma to be the highest good; others say sovereignty and prosperity, or living by renunciation and simple fare. Some speak of self-restraint, austerity, wealth, enjoyment—and some even of liberation from enjoyment.

Word by Word

• केचित्: some (people)
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्; अनिर्दिष्ट-समूहवाचकः (some people)

• श्रेयः: the highest good
• श्रेयः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Accusative singular; object of ‘say’)

• धर्मम्: dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (Accusative singular; predicate complement)

• आहुः: say
• आहुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्

• ऐश्वर्यम्: lordship/wealth
• ऐश्वर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्

• त्यागभोजनम्: renunciation and enjoyment
• त्यागभोजनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्याग (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (renunciation and enjoyment/food)

• केचित्: some (people)
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्

• दमम्: self-control
• दमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्

• द्रव्यम्: wealth/substance
• द्रव्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्

• भोगान्: enjoyments
• भोगान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-बहुवचनम् (Accusative plural)

• मुक्तिम्: liberation
• मुक्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्ययम्

• केचन: some others
• केचन: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-बहुवचनम्; केचन (= के + चन) ‘some others’

Speaker

Barbarīka

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: the speaker enumerates diverse opinions about the highest good—dharma, sovereignty, renunciation, restraint, austerity, wealth, enjoyment, and liberation—suggesting a philosophical crossroads.

Characters & Entities

• Barbarīka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

People propose many ‘highest goods’; the verse sets up the need for authoritative discernment to identify true śreyas beyond conflicting opinions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the focus is ethical-philosophical categorization, not sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; practices like dama (restraint) and tapas (austerity) are listed as proposed ideals.