Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

त्रीणि ज्योतींषि पुरुष इति वै देवलोऽब्रवीत् । भार्या कर्म च विद्या च संसाध्यं यत्नतस्त्रयम्

Transliteration

trīṇi jyotīṃṣi puruṣa iti vai devalo'bravīt | bhāryā karma ca vidyā ca saṃsādhyaṃ yatnatastrayam

Translation

ദേവലൻ അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു—“പുരുഷന് മൂന്നു ജ്യോതികൾ ഉണ്ട്: ഭാര്യ, ധർമ്മകർമ്മം, വിദ്യ. ഈ മൂന്നും പരിശ്രമത്തോടെ সাধിക്കേണ്ടതാണ്.”

Word by Word

• त्रीणि: three
• त्रीणि: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Pl.)

• ज्योतींषि: lights; luminaries
• ज्योतींषि: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Pl.)

• पुरुष: O man
• पुरुष: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन (Masculine, Voc., Sg.)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्तिसूचक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• देवलः: Devala (sage)
• देवलः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nom., Sg.)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (Imperfect, 3rd sg., Parasmaipada)

• भार्या: wife
• भार्या: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nom., Sg.)

• कर्म: action; duty
• कर्म: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom., Sg.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विद्या: knowledge; learning
• विद्या: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Feminine, Nom., Sg.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• संसाध्यम्: to be accomplished; should be achieved
• संसाध्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+साध् (धातु) + यत् (कृत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Gerundive/obligatory; Neut., Nom./Acc., Sg.)

• यत्नतः: with effort; diligently
• यत्नतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'from effort' → 'with effort')

• त्रयम्: a triad; threefold set
• त्रयम्: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Sg.)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced; quotation attributed to Devala within the verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm didactic moment: sage Devala teaching, with symbolic ‘three lamps’ representing wife, duty, and knowledge; a household setting with scriptures and ritual implements.

Characters & Entities

• Devala

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A balanced dharmic life is illuminated by companionship (wife), disciplined duty (karma), and transformative learning (vidyā).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified; the emphasis is on universal dharma rather than a particular kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; the ‘practice’ is sustained cultivation of dharmic action and knowledge.