Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 99

Devanagari script

इह लोके परत्रापि सोनंतसुखमश्नुते । शाकमूलफले वृत्तिं यो न वर्तयते नरः

Transliteration

iha loke paratrāpi sonaṃtasukhamaśnute | śākamūlaphale vṛttiṃ yo na vartayate naraḥ

Translation

ทั้งในโลกนี้และโลกหน้า ผู้นั้นย่อมเสวยสุขอันไม่สิ้นสุด—คือผู้ที่ไม่ทำให้การดำรงชีพของตนเหลือเพียงผัก ราก และผลไม้ จนถือเป็นสิ่งทดแทนการประพฤติธรรมอันถูกต้อง

Word by Word

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण — adverb ‘here’

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Locative singular

• परत्र: in the next world
• परत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण — adverb ‘in the other world/after death’

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also/even)

• सोनन्त-सुखम्: ‘sonanta’ happiness (as read)
• सोनन्त-सुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोनन्त (प्रातिपदिक; पाठभेद/दुर्लभ) + सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative singular; कर्मधारय (सोनन्तं सुखम्)

• अश्नुते: enjoys, attains
• अश्नुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद — Present, 3rd person singular (Ātmanepada); ‘enjoys/attains’

• शाक-मूल-फले: in vegetables, roots, and fruits (i.e., as diet)
• शाक-मूल-फले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाक (प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Locative singular; द्वन्द्व (शाकं च मूलं च फलं च)

• वृत्तिम्: livelihood, mode of living
• वृत्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative singular

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative singular; सम्बन्धसूचक

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• वर्तयते: maintains, follows
• वर्तयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद — Present, 3rd person singular; ‘maintains/keeps (a livelihood)’

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative singular; यः इत्यस्य विशेष्यः

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (contextual attribution)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim stands at the shore contemplating: on one side, a sparse ascetic meal of roots and fruits; on the other, the full dharmic path—snāna, worship, and charity—symbolized by ritual vessels and a temple path.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text praises dharmic practice linked to the tīrtha and devotion, not merely external austerity or subsistence alone.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setu tīrtha context of Adhyāya 30, where the surrounding verses speak of bathing and charity at Dhanuskoṭi.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No single ritual is prescribed here; it contrasts mere ascetic subsistence with the broader dharma of tīrtha practice (snāna, dāna, devotion).