Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

मुहूर्तमपि जीवेत नरः शुक्लेन कर्मणा । न कल्पमपि जीवेत लोकद्वयविरोधिना

Transliteration

muhūrtamapi jīveta naraḥ śuklena karmaṇā | na kalpamapi jīveta lokadvayavirodhinā

Translation

آدمی پاکیزہ (روشن) عمل کے ساتھ تو ایک لمحہ بھی جی لے؛ مگر جو دونوں جہانوں کے خلاف ہو، ایسے کردار کے ساتھ ایک کلپ بھر بھی نہ جیے۔

Word by Word

• मुहूर्तम्: for a moment
• मुहूर्तम्: Karma (Extent/कर्म-काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण (accusative of extent)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) ‘even’

• जीवेत: should live
• जीवेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• शुक्लेन: pure/white
• शुक्लेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; ‘कर्मणा’ इति विशेषण (instrumental)

• कर्मणा: by (good) action
• कर्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• कल्पम्: for an aeon
• कल्पम्: Karma (Extent/कर्म-काल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण (accusative of extent)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) ‘even’

• जीवेत: should live
• जीवेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• लोकद्वयविरोधिना: by one opposed to both worlds (i.e., by harmful conduct)
• लोकद्वयविरोधिना: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोक + द्वय + विरोधिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; ‘लोकद्वयस्य विरोधी’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषसमासः; ‘जीवेत’ इत्यस्य सहकारक-निर्देश (instrumental of association/means)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), by section-context (Māheśvarakhaṇḍa discourse)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇa interlocutor

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A child-sage delivers a sharp aphorism: a moment of pure action outweighs an aeon of harmful conduct; listeners struck by the force of the teaching.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Quality of dharmic life outweighs length of life; pure action benefits both worlds, while adharma ruins both.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned; the focus is on the ethical valuation of life and action.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is prescribed; it recommends śukla-karma—pure, dharmic conduct.