Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 27
स्वार्थोद्युक्तधियो ये स्युरन्वर्थास्तेप्यसुंधराः । मरणं प्रकृतिश्चैव जीवितं विकृतिर्यदा
svārthodyuktadhiyo ye syuranvarthāstepyasuṃdharāḥ | maraṇaṃ prakṛtiścaiva jīvitaṃ vikṛtiryadā
ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੀ ਬੁੱਧੀ ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਆਪਣੇ ਹੀ ਲਾਭ ਲਈ ਉਤਸ਼ਾਹਿਤ ਰਹਿੰਦੀ ਹੈ, ਉਹ ਨਾਮ ਨੂੰ ਤਾਂ ‘ਜੀਉਂਦੇ’ ਹਨ ਪਰ ਜੀਵਨ ਦੇ ਸੱਚੇ ਧਾਰਕ ਨਹੀਂ। ਜਦ ਮੌਤ ਨੂੰ ‘ਸਹਜ’ ਮੰਨ ਲਿਆ ਜਾਵੇ ਅਤੇ ਜੀਵਨ ਹੀ ਵਿਕਾਰ ਬਣ ਜਾਵੇ, ਤਦ ਧਰਮ-ਮੂਲ ਉਲਟ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ।
Indradyumna (contextual continuation)
Scene: A contemplative figure stands at a crossroads: one path crowded with grasping hands and gold (self-interest), the other with a lamp, water-pot, and open palms (dharma). A subtle motif shows a corpse-like shadow clinging to the selfish path, while the dharmic path glows with life.
FAQs
A life centered on selfishness is portrayed as spiritually hollow, as if life itself has lost its proper meaning.
No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is nīti (ethical instruction) within the Purāṇic story.
None; the emphasis is on inner disposition—moving from svārtha to hitācaraṇa (benefiting others).
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Skanda Purana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.