Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 123

Devanagari script

संप्राप्योत्तरमंशेन देहं त्यजति पूर्वकम् । मरणात्प्रार्थना दुःखमधिकं हि विवेकिनः

Transliteration

saṃprāpyottaramaṃśena dehaṃ tyajati pūrvakam | maraṇātprārthanā duḥkhamadhikaṃ hi vivekinaḥ

Translation

ପରବର୍ତ୍ତୀ ଅଂଶକୁ (ପରବର୍ତ୍ତୀ ଦେହକୁ) ପ୍ରାପ୍ତ ହୋଇ ସେ ପୂର୍ବ ଦେହକୁ ତ୍ୟାଗ କରେ; କିନ୍ତୁ ବିବେକୀ ପାଇଁ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନା-ଯାଚନାର ଦୁଃଖ ମୃତ୍ୟୁଠାରୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଅଧିକ।

Word by Word

• सम्प्राप्य: having reached/attained
• सम्प्राप्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+प्राप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव कृदन्त (gerund/क्त्वान्त), ‘सम्प्राप्य’ = having attained

• उत्तरम्: the later/next
• उत्तरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (agreeing with ‘अंशम्’ understood/expressed as ‘अंशेन’ next)

• अंशेन: by a portion/part
• अंशेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देहम्: the body
• देहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्यजति: abandons, leaves
• त्यजति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पूर्वकम्: the former (one) / previously
• पूर्वकम्: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial accusative) ‘पूर्वकम्’ = previously/earlier (in the prior order)

• मरणात्: from death / than death
• मरणात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रार्थना: begging, entreaty
• प्रार्थना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रार्थना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दुःखम्: suffering
• दुःखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (here predicate nominative)

• अधिकम्: greater, more
• अधिकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (agreeing with ‘दुःखम्’)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: emphasis/causal)

• विवेकिनः: of the discerning person
• विवेकिनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवेकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A discerning ascetic-like figure watches a scene of a person pleading before the wealthy; behind them, a subtle depiction of the jīva stepping from an old body to a new one, emphasizing that dignity and dharma outlast the body.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The wise see rebirth as continuity and value inner dignity; dependence and desperate pleading are spiritually corrosive.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse is a general instruction on saṃsāra and discernment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it implies cultivating viveka through sādhana—worship, japa, and charity—so one need not fall into helplessness.