Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

हर्षस्थाने विषादश्च पुनर्मां बाधते श्रृणु । अपि वाक्यं शुभं सन्तो न गृह्णन्ति मुधा मुने

Transliteration

harṣasthāne viṣādaśca punarmāṃ bādhate śrṛṇu | api vākyaṃ śubhaṃ santo na gṛhṇanti mudhā mune

Translation

ആനന്ദിക്കേണ്ട സമയത്തിലും വിഷാദം വീണ്ടും എന്നെ പീഡിപ്പിക്കുന്നു—കേൾക്കുക. ഹേ മുനേ, സജ്ജനർ വ്യർത്ഥമായി പറഞ്ഞ ശുഭവാക്കും സ്വീകരിക്കുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• हर्षस्थाने: in a place/occasion of joy
• हर्षस्थाने: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः (neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (locative/7th), एकवचनम् (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (harṣasya sthānam)

• विषादः: sorrow
• विषादः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (singular)

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

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्तिवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: again)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (accusative/2nd), एकवचनम् (singular)

• बाधते: afflicts
• बाधते: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बाध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (singular), आत्मनेपदम्

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriyā (Imperative/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः (2nd person), एकवचनम् (singular), परस्मैपदम्

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-शब्दः (particle: even/also)

• वाक्यम्: speech/statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (accusative/2nd), एकवचनम् (singular)

• शुभम्: auspicious/good
• शुभम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (accusative/2nd), एकवचनम् (singular)

• सन्तः: good people/the virtuous
• सन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (nominative/1st), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negation particle)

• गृह्णन्ति: accept/take
• गृह्णन्ति: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम् (plural), परस्मैपदम्

• मुधा: in vain
• मुधा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अर्थहीन/व्यर्थवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: in vain)

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (vocative), एकवचनम् (singular)

Speaker

Devaśarman

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: muni (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A speaker turns slightly away, eyes lowered, expressing renewed sorrow despite a joyful occasion; the sage listens attentively, indicating a moral seriousness rather than celebratory mood.

Characters & Entities

• Devaśarman
• Subhadra
• Sādhus/Santaḥ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The virtuous value truthful, practicable commitments over pleasing but empty assurances.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an ethical reflection on speech and sincerity.