Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 82

Devanagari script

चिरकार्याभिसंपतेश्चिरकारी तथोच्यते । अलसग्रहणं प्राप्तो दुर्मेधावी तथोच्यते

Transliteration

cirakāryābhisaṃpateścirakārī tathocyate | alasagrahaṇaṃ prāpto durmedhāvī tathocyate

Translation

जो कार्यसिद्धी उशिरा प्राप्त करतो तो तो ‘चिरकारी’ म्हणतात; पण जो केवळ आळशीपणात पडतो तो ‘दुर्मेधा’ (मंदबुद्धी) म्हणतात.

Word by Word

• चिरकार्याभिसंपतेः: of the accomplishment of long-delayed work
• चिरकार्याभिसंपतेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिर + कार्य + अभि + संपत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः (चिरकार्यस्य अभिसंपत्तिः = long-delayed accomplishment)

• चिरकारी: a slow-actor
• चिरकारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिर + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thus)

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• अलसग्रहणम्: the taking up of laziness
• अलसग्रहणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलस + ग्रहण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः (अलसस्य ग्रहणम् = taking laziness)

• प्राप्तः: having obtained
• प्राप्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (one) having obtained/attained

• दुर्मेधावी: a dull-witted person
• दुर्मेधावी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् + मेधाविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (दुष्टा मेधा यस्य)

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two contrasted figures: one thoughtful and composed (Cirakārī) and another slumped in indolence (durmedhā), illustrating the verse’s distinction.

Characters & Entities

• Cirakārī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Not all slowness is a virtue: thoughtful delay is wisdom, but delay from laziness is adharma and dullness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse clarifies a moral distinction relevant to dharmic living.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None—this is a definitional teaching about character and intention.