Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 60
Devanagari script
पुत्र उवाच । तात किं मोदकार्थाय पठ्यते लोभहेतवे । पठनंनाम यत्पुंसां परामार्थं हि तत्स्मृतम्
Transliteration
putra uvāca | tāta kiṃ modakārthāya paṭhyate lobhahetave | paṭhanaṃnāma yatpuṃsāṃ parāmārthaṃ hi tatsmṛtam
Translation
子は言った。「父よ、モーダカ欲しさに、貪りのために学ぶのでしょうか。人の学びとは、最高の目的のためと伝えられております。」
Word by Word
पुत्रःthe son
पुत्रः:
Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (Speech act/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
तातfather
तात:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootतात (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन
किम्why?/what?
किम्:
Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक
मोदक-अर्थायfor the sake of modakas
मोदक-अर्थाय:
Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
TypeNoun
Rootमोदक (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मोदकस्य अर्थः)
पठ्यतेis studied/read
पठ्यते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootपठ् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)
लोभ-हेतवेfor the cause of greed
लोभ-हेतवे:
Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
TypeNoun
Rootलोभ (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (लोभस्य हेतु:)
पठनम्reading/study
पठनम्:
Karta (Topic/कर्ता-स्थानी)
TypeNoun
Rootपठन (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाव)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्तिन्/घञ्-भाववाचक (act of reading)
नामindeed
नाम:
Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनाम (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (निपात) — indeed/so-called
यत्which
यत्:
Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootयद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative)
पुंसाम्of men/people
पुंसाम्:
Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootपुंस्/पुम् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन
परम्-अर्थम्the highest purpose
परम्-अर्थम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपरम (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (परमः अर्थः)
हिindeed
हि:
Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (निपात) — for/indeed
तत्that
तत्:
Karta (Predicate nominative/प्रथमा)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
स्मृतम्is regarded (as)
स्मृतम्:
Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-स्थानी)
TypeVerb
Rootस्मृ (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि भावः—‘is considered/remembered’
Speaker
Son of Kauthuma (the boy)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: The son speaks with composed wisdom, gently questioning the father: ‘Is study for sweets?’ The father pauses, surprised; manuscripts and a modest offering plate sit between them.
FAQs
Learning is meant for parāmārtha—inner uplift and truth—not for petty rewards driven by greed.
No site is praised in this verse; it is a dharma-centered reflection on motivation.
None; it frames the intention behind study rather than prescribing a rite.