Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 46
Devanagari script
मस्त कस्थायिनं मृत्युं यदि पश्येदयं जनः । आहारोऽपि न रोचेत किमुताकार्यकारिता
Transliteration
masta kasthāyinaṃ mṛtyuṃ yadi paśyedayaṃ janaḥ | āhāro'pi na roceta kimutākāryakāritā
Translation
यदि कोई मनुष्य अपने सिर पर खड़े मृत्यु को देख ले, तो उसे भोजन भी रुचिकर न लगे; फिर वह अनुचित कर्म कैसे करेगा?
Word by Word
मस्तintoxicated
मस्त:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootमस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण
कस्थायिनम्standing on a log/wood (kāṣṭha)
कस्थायिनम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootकस्थायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण
मृत्युम्death
मृत्युम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)
यदिif
यदि:
Sambandha (Condition marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयदि (अव्यय)
Formशर्तसूचक-अव्यय (conditional particle)
पश्येत्should see
पश्येत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootपश् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद
अयम्this
अयम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
जनःperson
जनः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootजन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
आहारःfood
आहारः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootआहार (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)
अपिeven/also
अपि:
Sambandha (Particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय/अपि-कार (particle: also/even)
नnot
न:
Negation (निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय (negation)
रोचेतwould please/appeal
रोचेत:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootरुच् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद
किम्what?
किम्:
Sambandha (Interrogative)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative used adverbially)
उतthen/indeed
उत:
Sambandha (Particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootउत (अव्यय)
Formविकल्प/उत्कर्षसूचक (particle: then/indeed)
अकार्यकारिताdoing of forbidden acts
अकार्यकारिता:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअकार्य + कारिता (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः तत्पुरुषः (doing of what should not be done)
Speaker
Brāhmaṇa
Skanda Dialogue
Listener: The addressed group (women/others)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A stark allegory: Death poised above a person’s head like a shadow; the person turns away from food, face pale, hands withdrawn, realizing the futility of wrongdoing.
Characters & Entities
M
mṛtyu (death)FAQs
Remembering mortality curbs reckless desire; dharma is strengthened by mṛtyu-smaraṇa and sober discernment.
None is mentioned in this verse.
No explicit rite is prescribed; it recommends a contemplative discipline: awareness of death to prevent wrongdoing.