Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

पुत्र उवाच । तात किं मोदकार्थाय पठ्यते लोभहेतवे । पठनंनाम यत्पुंसां परामार्थं हि तत्स्मृतम्

Transliteration

putra uvāca | tāta kiṃ modakārthāya paṭhyate lobhahetave | paṭhanaṃnāma yatpuṃsāṃ parāmārthaṃ hi tatsmṛtam

Translation

บุตรกล่าวว่า “ท่านพ่อ การศึกษาเล่าเพื่อโมทกะ—ด้วยเหตุแห่งความโลภ—กระนั้นหรือ? การเรียนของมนุษย์นั้นถูกจดจำว่าเพื่อประโยชน์สูงสุดแท้จริง”

Word by Word

• पुत्रः: the son
• पुत्रः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Speech act/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तात: father
• तात: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• किम्: why?/what?
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• मोदक-अर्थाय: for the sake of modakas
• मोदक-अर्थाय: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोदक (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (मोदकस्य अर्थः)

• पठ्यते: is studied/read
• पठ्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• लोभ-हेतवे: for the cause of greed
• लोभ-हेतवे: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोभ (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (लोभस्य हेतु:)

• पठनम्: reading/study
• पठनम्: Karta (Topic/कर्ता-स्थानी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पठन (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्तिन्/घञ्-भाववाचक (act of reading)

• नाम: indeed
• नाम: Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) — indeed/so-called

• यत्: which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative)

• पुंसाम्: of men/people
• पुंसाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस्/पुम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• परम्-अर्थम्: the highest purpose
• परम्-अर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (परमः अर्थः)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) — for/indeed

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Predicate nominative/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्मृतम्: is regarded (as)
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-स्थानी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि भावः—‘is considered/remembered’

Speaker

Son of Kauthuma (the boy)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The son speaks with composed wisdom, gently questioning the father: ‘Is study for sweets?’ The father pauses, surprised; manuscripts and a modest offering plate sit between them.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Learning is meant for parāmārtha—inner uplift and truth—not for petty rewards driven by greed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is praised in this verse; it is a dharma-centered reflection on motivation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it frames the intention behind study rather than prescribing a rite.