Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 127

Devanagari script

चिरं धर्मान्निषेवेत कुर्याच्चान्वेषणं चिरम् । चिरमन्वास्य विदुषश्चिरमिष्टानुपास्य च

Transliteration

ciraṃ dharmānniṣeveta kuryāccānveṣaṇaṃ ciram | ciramanvāsya viduṣaściramiṣṭānupāsya ca

Translation

Hendaklah seseorang mengamalkan dharma dengan teguh untuk masa yang panjang, dan hendaklah menyelidik dengan lama. Hendaklah ia mendampingi orang bijaksana untuk waktu yang panjang, dan demikian juga bersembahyang kepada dewa-dewa pilihan untuk waktu yang panjang.

Word by Word

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• धर्मान्: duties/virtues
• धर्मान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); बहुवचन — accusative plural

• निषेवेत: should practice/serve
• निषेवेत: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-सेव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd); एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• अन्वेषणम्: investigation/search
• अन्वेषणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्वेषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचन — accusative singular

• चिरम्: for long
• चिरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• चिरम्: for long
• चिरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• अन्वास्य: having attended/served closely
• अन्वास्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु-आस् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय-समकक्ष)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव-रूप कृदन्त (absolutive/gerund): 'having sat/served near'

• विदुषः: of the wise man
• विदुषः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th); एकवचन — genitive singular

• चिरम्: for long
• चिरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• इष्टान्: the beloved/desired (persons)
• इष्टान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष्ट (इष्-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); बहुवचन — accusative plural; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (desired/beloved persons)

• उपास्य: having served/worshipped
• उपास्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उप-आस् (धातु) + ल्यप्
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव-रूप कृदन्त (absolutive): 'having worshipped/served'

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

Speaker

Gautama (quoted within Sūta’s narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A timeline-like composition: a seeker repeatedly visiting a guru, studying, performing daily worship to iṣṭa-devatā, and practicing dharma across seasons—showing ‘chiram’ as continuity.

Characters & Entities

• Gautama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual maturity comes from sustained practice: long-term dharma, careful inquiry, service to the wise, and steady devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular sacred geography is named; the teaching is universal.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upāsanā (sustained worship) and service to the learned are recommended as long-term disciplines.