Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

श्रिया तेषां च किं कार्यं समृद्धानां तथापि यत् । जातिधर्मेण चाभेद्या विधातुरपि ते मताः

Transliteration

śriyā teṣāṃ ca kiṃ kāryaṃ samṛddhānāṃ tathāpi yat | jātidharmeṇa cābhedyā vidhāturapi te matāḥ

Translation

จะมีประโยชน์อันใดในการให้ทรัพย์แก่เขา ในเมื่อเขามั่งคั่งอยู่แล้ว? ด้วยสภาพแห่งชาติและธรรมประจำเผ่าพันธุ์ เขาถูกเห็นว่าไม่อาจเปลี่ยนได้ แม้ตามความเห็นของผู้ทรงกำหนดชะตา (วิธาตา)

Word by Word

• श्रिया: by wealth/prosperity
• श्रिया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• कार्यम्: use, purpose; what is to be done
• कार्यम्: Karta (Predicate-noun/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समृद्धानाम्: of the prosperous
• समृद्धानाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तेषाम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तथा: thus, in that way
• तथा: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थे (even/also)

• यत्: since/that which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relativizer)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative particle)

• जातिधर्मेण: by their innate nature/dharma
• जातिधर्मेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाति (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—जात्या धर्मः/जातिधर्मः

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• अभेद्याः: not to be divided/undivisible
• अभेद्याः: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-भिद् (धातु) + य (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक कृदन्त (gerundive sense ‘not to be split’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ते इत्यस्य विधेय-विशेषणम्

• विधातुः: of the Creator (Brahmā)
• विधातुः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थे (even)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• मताः: are considered
• मताः: Kriya (Predicative/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘मत’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ते इत्यस्य विधेयम्

Speaker

Bṛhaspati

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Suraśreṣṭha (deva leadership)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bṛhaspati explains that wealth cannot sway the already wealthy; Daityas appear adorned and unmoved, standing in tight-knit ranks bound by their own code, while the deva counsel scene turns from offering to strategic reassessment.

Characters & Entities

• Bṛhaspati
• Daityas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

External incentives cannot reform those bound to harmful nature; discernment prevents wasted effort and protects dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.