Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

ऐश्वर्यमदपापिष्ठा महामद्यमदादयः । ऐश्वर्यमदमत्तो हि ना पतित्वा हि माद्यति

Transliteration

aiśvaryamadapāpiṣṭhā mahāmadyamadādayaḥ | aiśvaryamadamatto hi nā patitvā hi mādyati

Translation

ഐശ്വര്യമദം അത്യന്തം പാപിഷ്ഠം; മദ്യമദാദി മഹാമദങ്ങളും അതിന്റെ മുമ്പിൽ ചെറുതാണ്. രാജസൗഭാഗ്യമദത്തിൽ മത്തനായവൻ പതനത്തിനു ശേഷവും എളുപ്പത്തിൽ ശാന്തനാകുന്നില്ല.

Word by Word

• aiśvarya-mada-pāpiṣṭhāḥ: most sinful due to the intoxication of power/wealth
• aiśvarya-mada-pāpiṣṭhāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aiśvarya (प्रातिपदिक) + mada (प्रातिपदिक) + pāpiṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (ऐश्वर्यस्य मदः → ऐश्वर्यमदः; तेन पापिष्ठाः)

• mahā-madya-mada-ādayaḥ: great drunkenness and the like
• mahā-madya-mada-ādayaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + madya (प्रातिपदिक) + mada (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (महान् मद्य-मदः; तदादयः = 'and the like')

• aiśvarya-mada-mattaḥ: one intoxicated by power/wealth
• aiśvarya-mada-mattaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aiśvarya (प्रातिपदिक) + mada (प्रातिपदिक) + matta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (ऐश्वर्यस्य मदेन मत्तः)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Discourse marker (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• na: not
• na: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle), अव्यय

• patitvā: having fallen
• patitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pat (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; धातुः—पत् (to fall)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Discourse marker (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• mādyati: becomes intoxicated
• mādyati: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: mad (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; धातुः—मद् (to be intoxicated)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative mode)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A crowned ruler on a high throne surrounded by symbols of power (umbrella, chowries) is shown gradually darkened by a smoky aura of mada; below, a fallen crown and broken scepter indicate ruin, yet the intoxication-clinging shadow remains.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Arrogance born of power is a deep spiritual poison; it persists even through downfall unless checked by dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse is a general nīti/dharma maxim.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual; it is a moral-psychological warning about aiśvarya-mada (power-intoxication).