Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

संतोषामृततृप्तानां यत्सुखं शांतचेतसाम् । कुतस्तद्धनलुब्धानामितश्चेतश्च धावताम्

Transliteration

saṃtoṣāmṛtatṛptānāṃ yatsukhaṃ śāṃtacetasām | kutastaddhanalubdhānāmitaścetaśca dhāvatām

Translation

Le bonheur de ceux dont l’esprit paisible est rassasié par le nectar du contentement—comment pourrait-il appartenir aux avides de richesse, dont l’esprit court de-ci de-là ?

Word by Word

• saṃtoṣa-amṛta-tṛptānām: of those satisfied with the nectar of contentment
• saṃtoṣa-amṛta-tṛptānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃtoṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + amṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + tṛpta (√tṛp (धातु) + kta)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (saṃtoṣa-amṛtena tṛptāḥ = satisfied with the nectar of contentment)

• yat: which
• yat: Sambandha (Relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (relative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• sukham: happiness
• sukham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• śānta-cetasām: of the calm-minded
• śānta-cetasām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śānta (√śam (धातु) + kta) + cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (cetas), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (śāntaṃ cetas yeṣām = of those whose minds are calm)

• kutaḥ: whence/how (could it be)
• kutaḥ: Sambandha (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kutaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक अव्यय (interrogative adverb: whence/how)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• dhana-lubdhānām: of those greedy for wealth
• dhana-lubdhānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक) + lubdha (√lubh (धातु) + kta)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (dhane lubdhāḥ = greedy for wealth)

• itaḥ: from here/this way
• itaḥ: Apadana/Direction
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: itaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक/अपादानार्थक अव्यय (adverb: from here/this way)

• cetaḥ: mind
• cetaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cetas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• dhāvatām: of those running about
• dhāvatām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhāv (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्यय कृदन्त (present active participle), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

Speaker

Gautama (contextual continuation)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇas (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two contrasting groups: serene ascetics/pilgrims drinking from a symbolic ‘nectar of contentment’ vessel (amṛta-kalaśa), faces tranquil; opposite, merchants/greedy seekers sprint between piles of coins and houses, eyes wide, minds scattered.

Characters & Entities

• santoṣa
• dhanalobhā (wealth-greed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True happiness arises from contentment and a quiet mind; greed creates restlessness and blocks lasting peace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular sacred site is mentioned in this verse; it is a general dharmic contrast between santoṣa and lobha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is named; the instruction is ethical and psychological—abandon greed and cultivate contentment.