Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 80

Devanagari script

एकः सोऽपि सुतो नष्टो भार्या चार्याऽप्यनश्यत । कूटानां कर्मणां साधो फलमेवंविधं भवेत्

Transliteration

ekaḥ so'pi suto naṣṭo bhāryā cāryā'pyanaśyata | kūṭānāṃ karmaṇāṃ sādho phalamevaṃvidhaṃ bhavet

Translation

നിന്റെ ഏകപുത്രൻ നശിച്ചു; ഭാര്യയും സമ്പത്തും കൂടി നാശപ്പെട്ടു. ഓ സാധുവേ, കപടകർമ്മങ്ങളുടെ ഫലം ഇത്തരത്തിലേ ആയിരിക്കും.

Word by Word

• एकः: one/only
• एकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• सः: he/that (one)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; 'also/even')

• सुतः: son
• सुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• नष्टः: lost/perished
• नष्टः: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: नश् (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Past participle; Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• भार्या: wife
• भार्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

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

• आर्या: noble lady (honored woman)
• आर्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; 'also/even')

• अनश्यत: perished/was destroyed
• अनश्यत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Imperfect, 3rd person, Singular)

• कूटानाम्: of deceitful (acts/people)
• कूटानाम्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Genitive, Plural)

• कर्मणाम्: of deeds
• कर्मणाम्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Neuter, Genitive, Plural)

• साधो: O good man
• साधो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Vocative, Singular)

• फलम्: result
• फलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular)

• एवंविधम्: of such a kind
• एवंविधम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एवं + विध (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular)

• भवेत्: would be/should occur
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (Optative, 3rd person, Singular)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta (deduced, Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grieving householder stands amid a desolate home—empty cradle, broken vessels—while an elder points gently yet firmly, explaining karmic causality.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Deceit (kūṭa-karma) inevitably ripens into suffering; dharma rests on truth and integrity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse emphasizes karmic causality rather than sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it presents a warning about karma and the necessity of truthful conduct.