Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

सहसा न क्रियां कुर्यात्पदमेतन्महापदाम् । विमृश्यकारिणं धीरं वृणते सर्वसंपदः

Transliteration

sahasā na kriyāṃ kuryātpadametanmahāpadām | vimṛśyakāriṇaṃ dhīraṃ vṛṇate sarvasaṃpadaḥ

Translation

Qu’on n’agisse pas avec hâte : la hâte est un pas vers de grands malheurs. Toutes les prospérités choisissent l’homme ferme, qui agit après mûre réflexion.

Word by Word

• सहसा: hastily
• सहसा: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (suddenly/hastily)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• क्रियाम्: an action
• क्रियाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• पदम्: a maxim, rule
• पदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Demonstrative qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महापदाम्: of great men
• महापदाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महापद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् + पद); पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, बहुवचन; “of great persons”

• विमृश्यकारिणम्: one who acts after deliberation
• विमृश्यकारिणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमृश्य (कृदन्त; वि+मृश् धातु, ल्यप्) + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (“one who acts after reflection”); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• धीरम्: steadfast, wise
• धीरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वृणते: choose
• वृणते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु; वृञ् वरणे)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन/बहुवचन?; here with plural subject ‘सर्वसंपदः’ → प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन expected ‘वृणते’ can serve as 3rd pl. Ātmanepada (Vedic/epic usage)

• सर्वसंपदः: all fortunes
• सर्वसंपदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + संपद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (“all prosperities”); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa convention)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An aphoristic teaching scene: the wise teacher states that haste leads to calamity, while prosperity ‘chooses’ the steadfast deliberator—visualized as Lakṣmī approaching the calm, composed person.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steadiness and reflection are dharmic virtues; rashness leads to downfall, while deliberation invites auspicious results.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned; this is a general dharma-nīti instruction embedded in the Purāṇic narration.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None—this shloka prescribes a mental discipline: avoid impulsive action and cultivate thoughtful conduct.