Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

स्तुवंति स्तुतिभिः शश्वत्कुटुम्बकुशलंकरम् । विक्रीणाति कुटुम्बं यो मोदकार्थं समर्चके

Transliteration

stuvaṃti stutibhiḥ śaśvatkuṭumbakuśalaṃkaram | vikrīṇāti kuṭumbaṃ yo modakārthaṃ samarcake

Translation

അവർ നിത്യവും സ്തുതികളാൽ കുടുംബക്ഷേമം വരുത്തുന്നവനെ പുകഴ്ത്തുന്നു. എന്നാൽ മോദകത്തിനായി ആരാധനയ്ക്കിടയിൽ തന്നെ സ്വന്തം കുടുംബത്തെ ‘വിൽക്കുന്ന’വൻ അധർമ്മം ചെയ്യുന്നു.

Word by Word

• स्तुवन्ति: they praise
• स्तुवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• स्तुतिभिः: with hymns/praises
• स्तुतिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• शश्वत्: always
• शश्वत्: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शश्वत् (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; नित्यत्ववाचक क्रियाविशेषण (always/constantly)

• कुटुम्बकुशलंकरम्: the maker of a family’s welfare
• कुटुम्बकुशलंकरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुटुम्ब + कुशल + अङ्कर/कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कुटुम्बस्य कुशलम् करोति इति (कुटुम्ब-कुशलं-करः)

• विक्रीणाति: sells
• विक्रीणाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + क्री (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• कुटुम्बम्: family/household
• कुटुम्बम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुटुम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative pronoun)

• मोदकार्थम्: for the sake of modaka (sweet)
• मोदकार्थम्: Hetu/Prayojana (Purpose/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोदक + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—मोदकस्य अर्थः/मोदक-निमित्तम् (for the sake of modaka)

• समर्चके: in the devoted worshipper
• समर्चके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम् + अर्चक (प्रातिपदिक; √अर्च्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘in/among the worshipper’ (locative)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator, contextually Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devas and sages sing hymns to Gaṇeśa as the maker of family welfare; alongside, a cautionary vignette shows a misguided devotee impoverishing his home for lavish sweets—contrasted with the ideal of balanced offering.

Characters & Entities

• Gajānana (Gaṇeśa)
• Modaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True devotion supports dharma and household welfare; worship should not become greed or self-harm disguised as offering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it emphasizes ethical devotion within the Dharmāraṇya narrative setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It alludes to offering modakas in worship, while warning against excessive or adharmic sacrifice for the sake of offerings.