Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

तत्र श्रद्धाविषये श्लोका भवन्ति । कायक्लेशैश्च बहुभिर्न चैवारथस्य राशिभिः

Transliteration

tatra śraddhāviṣaye ślokā bhavanti | kāyakleśaiśca bahubhirna caivārathasya rāśibhiḥ

Translation

അവിടെ ശ്രദ്ധയെക്കുറിച്ച് ശ്ലോകങ്ങൾ ഉണ്ട്—അനവധി ദേഹക്ലേശങ്ങളാൽ അല്ല, വെറും ധനകൂമ്പാരങ്ങളാൽ മാത്രവും ധർമ്മം ലഭ്യമാകില്ല.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there; in that matter
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: “there/in that context”)

• श्रद्धा-विषये: in the topic of faith
• श्रद्धा-विषये: Adhikarana (Topic/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा + विषय (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• श्लोकाः: verses
• श्लोकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• भवन्ति: are; occur
• भवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• काय-क्लेशैः: by bodily hardships
• काय-क्लेशैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय + क्लेश (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

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

• बहुभिः: many
• बहुभिः: Karana (Instrument qualifier/करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying kāyakleśaiḥ)

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

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

• एव: indeed; merely
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic: “only/indeed”)

• अर्थस्य: of wealth; of means
• अर्थस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• राशिभिः: by heaps, by masses
• राशिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राशि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

Speaker

Brahmin teacher (unnamed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim with blistered feet and a rich patron with carts of offerings stand before a calm sage; the sage gestures to the heart, indicating śraddhā as the true means.

Characters & Entities

• śraddhā
• artha (wealth) (contextual)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True dharma is rooted in śraddhā; neither mere austerity nor mere wealth guarantees spiritual attainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse introduces a thematic sub-teaching on śraddhā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual; it frames a teaching that faith is the decisive factor beyond external hardship or riches.