Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 97

Devanagari script

धर्ममर्थं च कामं च मोक्षं च नातुरो यतः । शक्तः साधयितुं तस्माद्युवा धर्मं समाचरेत्

Transliteration

dharmamarthaṃ ca kāmaṃ ca mokṣaṃ ca nāturo yataḥ | śaktaḥ sādhayituṃ tasmādyuvā dharmaṃ samācaret

Translation

ജരയോ രോഗമോ ബാധിക്കാത്ത മനുഷ്യൻ ധർമ്മം, അർത്ഥം, കാമം, മോക്ഷം വരെ സാധിക്കാൻ ശേഷിയുള്ളവൻ; അതിനാൽ യുവാവസ്ഥയിൽ ധർമ്മം ആചരിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• धर्मम्: dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अर्थम्: wealth/aim
• अर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

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

• कामम्: desire/pleasure
• कामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

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

• मोक्षम्: liberation
• मोक्षम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

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

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

• आतुरः: afflicted/ill
• आतुरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आतुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (युवा इत्यस्य)

• यतः: since/because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कारणार्थक (indeclinable meaning 'since/because')

• शक्तः: able
• शक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (युवा इत्यस्य)

• साधयितुम्: to accomplish
• साधयितुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √साध् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive), परस्मैपदी; कर्मार्थक

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण प्रयुक्तम्; अव्ययीभाववत् वाक्योपपद (therefore)

• युवा: a young man
• युवा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युवन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• धर्मम्: dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• समाचरेत्: should practice
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A youthful seeker stands at a crossroads with four symbolic paths labeled dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa; he steps first onto the dharma path, holding prayer beads and a water pot.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Do dharma early: youth and health provide the strength needed to pursue all four aims of life, including mokṣa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular sacred site is identified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A general prescription: “samācaret dharmam”—one should actively live by dharma while capable.