Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 99

Devanagari script

सत्यमाह विरंचिस्तु स किमर्थं तु जीवति । येनैकमपि तद्धृत्तं नैव येन कृतार्थता

Transliteration

satyamāha viraṃcistu sa kimarthaṃ tu jīvati | yenaikamapi taddhṛttaṃ naiva yena kṛtārthatā

Translation

‘വിരഞ്ചി (ബ്രഹ്മാവ്) സത്യം പറഞ്ഞു; എന്നാൽ ആ (ദാന) കർമ്മം ഒന്നുപോലും ചെയ്യാത്തവനും, ജീവിതം കൃതാർത്ഥമാക്കാത്തവനും എന്തിനാണ് ജീവിക്കുന്നത്?’

Word by Word

• सत्यम्: truthfully / the truth
• सत्यम्: Karma (Content)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (accusative of respect/content)

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (Speech)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विरञ्चिः: Virañci (Brahmā)
• विरञ्चिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विरञ्चि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ब्रह्मा

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

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक, ‘what’ (with अर्थम्)

• अर्थम्: purpose
• अर्थम्: Karma (Purpose object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• जीवति: lives
• जीवति: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे ‘by which/whereby’

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (referring to intended act/goal)

• हृतम्: obtained/taken
• हृतम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हृ (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मणि-भूतकृदन्त (PPP) ‘taken/obtained’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• कृतार्थता: fulfillment/success
• कृतार्थता: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृतार्थता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भाववाचक

Speaker

Nārada (inner reflection/soliloquy in narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Self (reflective soliloquy)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solitary figure on a mountain peak, brow furrowed in ethical concern, contemplating the meaning of life without charity; the vastness contrasts with personal insufficiency.

Characters & Entities

• Virañci (Brahmā)
• Dāna (implied)
• Kṛtārthatā (life fulfillment)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Life finds its purpose through lived dharma—especially through actual practice of giving, not mere hearing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse is ethical and introspective rather than geographical.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A practical prescription is implied: perform at least some act of dāna to make life fruitful.