Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 320

Devanagari script

यदि जीवति दैवाच्चेद्भ्रष्टाचारा भवेदिति

Transliteration

yadi jīvati daivāccedbhraṣṭācārā bhavediti

Translation

Si, par le décret du destin, il demeure en vie, alors il devient un être déchu de la juste conduite — ainsi est-il dit.

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-अव्यय (conditional particle: 'if')

• जीवति: lives
• जीवति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दैवात्: by fate/through destiny
• दैवात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ (cause)

• चेत्: if/indeed
• चेत्: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त/नियोग-अव्यय (particle: 'if/indeed')

• भ्रष्टाचाराः: of corrupted conduct
• भ्रष्टाचाराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रष्ट + आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय

• भवेत्: would become/might be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus/so
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice; aphoristic continuation of the king-addressed discourse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lone figure at a crossroads: one path toward an āśrama with lamp and mantra, another toward a noisy settlement; above, a subtle ‘daiva’ motif (wheel of time) indicates fate’s push, while the sage’s gesture emphasizes choice of conduct.

Characters & Entities

• Daiva (fate)
• Bhraṣṭācāra (lapse of conduct)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when circumstances (daiva) prolong life, dharma insists that conduct—not mere survival—determines moral standing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse is a moral observation within the Dharmāraṇya discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is stated; it warns against bhraṣṭācāra (falling from right conduct).