Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

यो न कुर्याद्दशम्यां तु महालयमनुत्तमम् । ओषध्यो निष्फलास्तस्य कृषिश्चाप्यस्य निष्फला

Transliteration

yo na kuryāddaśamyāṃ tu mahālayamanuttamam | oṣadhyo niṣphalāstasya kṛṣiścāpyasya niṣphalā

Translation

ദശമിദിനത്തിൽ അനുത്തമമായ മഹാലയകർമ്മം ചെയ്യാത്തവന്റെ ഔഷധികൾ ഫലമില്ലാതാകും; അവന്റെ കൃഷിയും ഫലരഹിതമാകും।

Word by Word

• यः: who (he)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• कुर्यात्: should do / would perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Verbal action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• दशम्याम्: on the tenth (tithi)
• दशम्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle)

• महालयम्: the Mahālaya (rite)
• महालयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महालय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); महत् + आलय (great abode/rite-name)

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, excellent
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् महालयम् प्रति

• ओषध्यः: herbs/crops
• ओषध्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओषधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• निष्फलाः: fruitless
• निष्फलाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् ओषध्यः प्रति

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• कृषिः: farming, cultivation
• कृषिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle; also/even)

• अस्य: of this person (of him)
• अस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• निष्फला: fruitless
• निष्फला: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् कृषिः प्रति

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra / Setubandha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A farmer neglects Mahālaya; fields dry, herbs wither; in contrast, a distant figure performs śrāddha at Setu, implying the remedy.

Characters & Entities

• Mahālaya
• Oṣadhi
• Kṛṣi (agriculture)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Neglecting dharmic duties is portrayed as disrupting both spiritual order and material prosperity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setukṣetra’s Mahālaya teaching context; the emphasis is on Daśamī observance rather than a named sub-site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Do not omit Mahālaya observance on Daśamī; it is declared “anuttama” (supreme) and tied to prosperity.