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Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 97

धर्ममर्थं च कामं च मोक्षं च नातुरो यतः । शक्तः साधयितुं तस्माद्युवा धर्मं समाचरेत्

dharmamarthaṃ ca kāmaṃ ca mokṣaṃ ca nāturo yataḥ | śaktaḥ sādhayituṃ tasmādyuvā dharmaṃ samācaret

Car celui qui n’est pas affligé par la vieillesse ou la maladie peut accomplir le dharma, la richesse, la jouissance et même la délivrance; ainsi, dans la jeunesse, qu’on pratique le dharma.

धर्मम्dharma
धर्मम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
अर्थम्wealth/aim
अर्थम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootअर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
and
:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
कामम्desire/pleasure
कामम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकाम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
and
:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
मोक्षम्liberation
मोक्षम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
and
:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
not
:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)
आतुरःafflicted/ill
आतुरः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता) विशेषण
TypeAdjective
Rootआतुर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (युवा इत्यस्य)
यतःsince/because
यतः:
Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयतस् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय, कारणार्थक (indeclinable meaning 'since/because')
शक्तःable
शक्तः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता) विशेषण
TypeAdjective
Rootशक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (युवा इत्यस्य)
साधयितुम्to accomplish
साधयितुम्:
Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
TypeVerb
Root√साध् (धातु)
Formतुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive), परस्मैपदी; कर्मार्थक
तस्मात्therefore
तस्मात्:
Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण प्रयुक्तम्; अव्ययीभाववत् वाक्योपपद (therefore)
युवाa young man
युवा:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयुवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
धर्मम्dharma
धर्मम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
समाचरेत्should practice
समाचरेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-आ-√चर् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa context)

Scene: A youthful seeker stands at a crossroads with four symbolic paths labeled dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa; he steps first onto the dharma path, holding prayer beads and a water pot.

FAQs

Do dharma early: youth and health provide the strength needed to pursue all four aims of life, including mokṣa.

No particular sacred site is identified in this verse.

A general prescription: “samācaret dharmam”—one should actively live by dharma while capable.