Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

तस्माल्लोभो न कर्तव्यः शरीरे चात्मबंधुषु । प्राप्तेषु व न हृष्येत नाशो वापि न शोचयेत्

Transliteration

tasmāllobho na kartavyaḥ śarīre cātmabaṃdhuṣu | prāpteṣu va na hṛṣyeta nāśo vāpi na śocayet

Translation

અતએવ લોભ કરવો નહીં—ન પોતાના શરીર વિષે, ન પોતાના આત્મબંધુઓ વિષે. પ્રાપ્ત થાય ત્યારે અતિ હર્ષ ન કરવો અને નાશ/હાનિ થાય ત્યારે શોક ન કરવો.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore, from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (from that/therefore)

• लोभः: greed
• लोभः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• कर्तव्यः: to be done, should be practiced
• कर्तव्यः: Vidhi (Predicate obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तव्य (कृदन्त/gerundive)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), विधेय-विशेषण

• शरीरे: in the body
• शरीरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आत्मबन्धुषु: among one’s own kinsmen
• आत्मबन्धुषु: Adhikarana (Sphere/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् + बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; ‘one’s own relatives’

• प्राप्तेषु: when (things) are obtained
• प्राप्तेषु: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु) → प्राप्त (कृदन्त/PPP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘when obtained/when things have come’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• हृष्येत: should rejoice
• हृष्येत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘should rejoice’

• नाशः: destruction, loss
• नाशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Addition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• शोचयेत्: should grieve
• शोचयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुच् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should grieve’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim receives offerings and also faces loss (a broken pot, spilled coins) yet remains calm, hands in añjali before a Śiva shrine; two attendants show contrasting emotions, highlighting the pilgrim’s samatā.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Practice non-greed and even-mindedness: do not cling to ‘mine,’ and remain steady in both gain and loss.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred geography appears in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is mentioned; the prescription is a discipline of equanimity and non-possessiveness.