Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 97

Devanagari script

यद्भवानाह धर्मिष्ठाः सदा दुःखस्य भागिनः । तन्मिथ्या दुःखजालानि पश्यामः पापिनामपि

Transliteration

yadbhavānāha dharmiṣṭhāḥ sadā duḥkhasya bhāginaḥ | tanmithyā duḥkhajālāni paśyāmaḥ pāpināmapi

Translation

ଆପଣ କହୁଛନ୍ତି—ଧର୍ମିଷ୍ଠମାନେ ସଦା ଦୁଃଖର ଭାଗୀ—ଏହା ମିଥ୍ୟା। କାରଣ ପାପୀମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଆମେ ଦୁଃଖର ଜାଲ ଦେଖୁଛୁ।

Word by Word

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म (यद्...तद्-सम्बन्ध)

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; आदरार्थक-सर्वनाम

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• धर्मिष्ठाः: the most righteous
• धर्मिष्ठाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेष्य (the righteous ones)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• दुःखस्य: of suffering
• दुःखस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• भागिनः: sharers, partakers
• भागिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भागिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-सम्बन्धेन विशेषण (partakers of)

• तत्: that (statement)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; निष्कर्ष/निर्देश

• मिथ्या: false, wrongly
• मिथ्या: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मिथ्या (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण/विधेय-निपात (falsely)

• दुःखजालानि: webs/masses of suffering
• दुःखजालानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख + जाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; कर्म (nets/masses of suffering)

• पश्यामः: we see
• पश्यामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• पापिनाम्: of sinners
• पापिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक निपात (also/even)

Speaker

Nandabhadra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Satyavrata

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nandabhadra counters calmly: pointing to examples of suffering among sinners; a moral-logic tableau with contrasting figures—pious ascetic and sinful man—both touched by sorrow, illustrating the argument.

Characters & Entities

• Nandabhadra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Suffering is not a proof against dharma; pain is observed across moral conditions, so dharma must be judged by deeper principles than mere comfort.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse is ethical reasoning within a dialogue.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.