Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

धनायुर्यौवनं भोगाञ्जलचंद्रवदस्थिरान् । बुद्ध्या सम्यक्परामृश्य स्थाणुदानं समाश्रयेत्

Transliteration

dhanāyuryauvanaṃ bhogāñjalacaṃdravadasthirān | buddhyā samyakparāmṛśya sthāṇudānaṃ samāśrayet

Translation

ധനം, ആയുസ്സ്, യൗവനം, ഭോഗങ്ങൾ ജലത്തിലെ ചന്ദ്രപ്രതിബിംബംപോലെ അസ്ഥിരം. വിവേകബുദ്ധിയോടെ നന്നായി ആലോചിച്ച് സ്ഥാണു (ശിവൻ) നിമിത്തം ദാനാശ്രയം സ്വീകരിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• धन: wealth
• धन: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• आयुः: life-span
• आयुः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative, Singular)

• यौवनम्: youth
• यौवनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यौवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• भोगान्: enjoyments
• भोगान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Plural)

• जल: water
• जल: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• चन्द्र: moon
• चन्द्र: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Masculine, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• वत्: like
• वत्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वत् (अव्यय/तद्धित-प्रत्ययार्थ)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (indeclinable of comparison: 'like/as')

• अस्थिरान्: unstable, fleeting
• अस्थिरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Plural); विशेषणम् (qualifying 'भोगान्')

• बुद्ध्या: with (one's) intellect
• बुद्ध्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (Feminine, Instrumental, Singular)

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• परामृश्य: having considered
• परामृश्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परामृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), परस्मैपदी; 'having reflected/considered'

• स्थाणु-दानम्: gift (offering) to Sthāṇu (Śiva)
• स्थाणु-दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थाणु (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: 'gift of/for Sthāṇu'); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• समाश्रयेत्: should resort to / take refuge in
• समाश्रयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदी, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (Optative, 3rd person, Singular)

Speaker

Sārasvata (continued from previous verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative donor stands near a still pond where the moon’s reflection trembles; behind, a serene Śiva (Sthāṇu) with Nandin receives the offering as the donor turns away from symbols of wealth and youth.

Characters & Entities

• Sthāṇu (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Seeing worldly assets as fleeting, one should redirect effort into lasting merit through devotion expressed as giving to Śiva (Sthāṇu).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the focus is on the devotional act of Śiva-oriented charity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sthāṇudāna—offering charity dedicated to Sthāṇu (Śiva)—is recommended.