Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 197

Devanagari script

धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणां यदि प्राप्तौ भवेन्मतिः । ततो हरः समाराध्यस्त्रिजगत्याः प्रदो मतः

Transliteration

dharmārthakāmamokṣāṇāṃ yadi prāptau bhavenmatiḥ | tato haraḥ samārādhyastrijagatyāḥ prado mataḥ

Translation

Si l’on vise à obtenir dharma, artha, kāma et mokṣa, qu’on adore alors Hara (Śiva) comme il convient, car il est tenu pour le dispensateur des trois mondes.

Word by Word

• धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणाम्: of dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa
• धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक) + मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; चतुर्थी-द्वन्द्वसमासः (धर्मश्च अर्थश्च कामश्च मोक्षश्च)

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

• प्राप्तौ: in attainment; upon obtaining
• प्राप्तौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• भवेत्: should be; may arise
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• मतिः: intention; resolve; understanding
• मतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ततः: therefore
• ततः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (adverb) — ‘therefore’

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; शिवस्य नाम

• समाराध्यः: to be worshipped; should be propitiated
• समाराध्यः: Karya (Obligation/कार्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-राध् (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम्; ‘पूजनीयः/आराधनीयः’ (gerundive)

• त्रिजगत्याः: of the three worlds
• त्रिजगत्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रीणि जगन्ति)

• प्रदः: giver; bestower
• प्रदः: Karta (Predicate/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘दाता’ इत्यर्थे

• मतः: is considered; is held to be
• मतः: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत (कृदन्त; मन् धातु (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तम्; ‘इति मन्यते/सम्मतः’

Speaker

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

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four streams emanate from Hara’s presence: dharma (a scale/scripture), artha (grain/coins), kāma (flower garland), mokṣa (a radiant path/lotus of liberation). Devotees approach with varied aims, all converging at Śiva’s feet.

Characters & Entities

• Hara (Śiva)
• Dharma
• Artha
• Kāma
• Mokṣa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva (Hara) is portrayed as the complete bestower of all human goals, from worldly welfare to final liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred place is mentioned; the focus is on the universal efficacy of Śiva-ārādhana.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The prescription is to worship Hara properly (samārādhya), without specifying the exact ritual sequence in this verse.