Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

दर्शं वा श्राद्धकार्यं वा शुभं वा यदि वाऽशुभम् । दारिद्र्यं पुत्रशोकं च कीर्तिनाशं तथैव च

Transliteration

darśaṃ vā śrāddhakāryaṃ vā śubhaṃ vā yadi vā'śubham | dāridryaṃ putraśokaṃ ca kīrtināśaṃ tathaiva ca

Translation

ദർശകർമ്മമായാലും ശ്രാദ്ധകർമ്മമായാലും, ശുഭമായാലും അശുഭമായാലും—നിയമം ലംഘിക്കുന്നവൻ ദാരിദ്ര്യം, പുത്രശോകം, കീർത്തിനാശം എന്നിവ പ്രാപിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• दर्शम्: the Darśa rite (new-moon sacrifice)
• दर्शम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

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

• श्राद्धकार्यं: Śrāddha-related act/rite
• श्राद्धकार्यं: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध + कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष समास (श्राद्धस्य कार्यम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

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

• शुभम्: an auspicious (act/thing)
• शुभम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (as ‘auspicious thing/act’)

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

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्त-निपात

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

• अशुभम्: an inauspicious (act/thing)
• अशुभम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• दारिद्र्यम्: poverty
• दारिद्र्यम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दारिद्र्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• पुत्रशोकम्: grief for a son
• पुत्रशोकम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र + शोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पुत्रस्य शोकः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Coordination/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• कीर्तिनाशम्: loss of fame
• कीर्तिनाशम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्ति + नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कीर्तेः नाशः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक (in that way/likewise)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Coordination/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

Speaker

Devāḥ / narrative continuation of the warning

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cautionary tableau: a householder performing darśa/śrāddha without sanction, followed by symbolic shadows of poverty, child-grief, and fading reputation.

Characters & Entities

• darśa
• śrāddha
• kīrti (reputation)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rites done without dharmic alignment can invert their fruits, leading to suffering instead of merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Dharmāraṇya milieu is implied; the verse emphasizes dharma-regulation rather than a particular named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Darśa (new-moon rite) and śrāddha are referenced as examples of rites that must be properly authorized/performed.