Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 169

Devanagari script

ये दीर्घदर्शिनो मंदा मूढा धर्मबहिष्कृताः । अकल्पाः कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थं यत्कुर्वंति च निष्फलम् । तत्सर्वं विद्धि देवेंद्र मनसा संप्रधार्यताम्

Transliteration

ye dīrghadarśino maṃdā mūḍhā dharmabahiṣkṛtāḥ | akalpāḥ kāryasiddhyarthaṃ yatkurvaṃti ca niṣphalam | tatsarvaṃ viddhi deveṃdra manasā saṃpradhāryatām

Translation

തങ്ങളെ ദീർഘദർശികളെന്ന് കരുതുന്നവർ യഥാർത്ഥത്തിൽ മന്ദബുദ്ധികളും മൂഢരും ധർമ്മത്തിൽ നിന്നു പുറത്തായവരുമാണ്. സിദ്ധിക്കു അയോഗ്യരായി അവർ ചെയ്യുന്നതെല്ലാം നിഷ്ഫലമാകുന്നു; ഹേ ദേവേന്ദ്രാ, ഇതെല്ലാം മനസ്സിൽ നന്നായി ആലോചിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• दीर्घदर्शिनः: far-sighted
• दीर्घदर्शिनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; (ये) इति विशेषण; समासः—दीर्घं पश्यन्ति इति (far-seeing)

• मन्दाः: dull, sluggish
• मन्दाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; (ये) इति विशेषण

• मूढाः: deluded
• मूढाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; (ये) इति विशेषण

• धर्मबहिष्कृताः: cast out from dharma
• धर्मबहिष्कृताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + बहिष्कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; (ये) इति विशेषण; समासः—धर्मात् बहिष्कृताः (excluded from dharma)

• अकल्पाः: incapable, unfit
• अकल्पाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; (ये) इति विशेषण

• कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थम्: for the sake of accomplishing the task
• कार्यसिद्ध्यर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (accusative of purpose); समासः—कार्यस्य सिद्ध्यर्थम् (for accomplishing the task)

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (कुर्वन्ति) इति कर्म

• कुर्वन्ति: they do
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• निष्फलम्: fruitless
• निष्फलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (यत्) इति विशेषण

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (सर्वम्) इत्यनेन सह

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (तत्) इति विशेषण

• विद्धि: know, understand
• विद्धि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• देवेन्द्र: O Devendra
• देवेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—देवानाम् इन्द्रः (lord of gods)

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• संप्रधार्यताम्: let it be well-considered
• संप्रधार्यताम्: Kriya (Injunctive/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + धृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः—‘let it be well-considered’

Speaker

Vṛtra

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra (narrative setting)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Indra (Devendra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vṛtra delivers a general maxim: the deluded, dharma-excluded, striving for success, achieve only futility; Indra is urged to ponder deeply.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛtra
• Indra (Devendra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Actions divorced from dharma, even if cleverly planned, collapse into futility; true success requires righteous discernment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred site is praised in this verse; it is a universal dharma teaching within Kedārakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it prescribes reflective discernment rather than a ritual act.