Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 45
Devanagari script
श्रद्धया साध्यते धर्मो महद्भिर्नार्थराशिभिः । अकिंचना हि मुनयः श्रद्धावंतो दिवं गताः
Transliteration
śraddhayā sādhyate dharmo mahadbhirnārtharāśibhiḥ | akiṃcanā hi munayaḥ śraddhāvaṃto divaṃ gatāḥ
Translation
正法由“舍罗陀”（śraddhā，虔信）而成，并非靠巨大的财富堆积。诸牟尼虽一无所有，却信心充满，已得升天界。
Word by Word
श्रद्धयाby faith
श्रद्धया:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootश्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
साध्यतेis accomplished
साध्यते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√साध् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
धर्मःdharma
धर्मः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
महद्भिःgreat, large
महद्भिः:
Karana (Instrument qualifier/करण-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying artharāśibhiḥ)
नnot
न:
Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-निपात
अर्थ-राशिभिःby heaps of wealth
अर्थ-राशिभिः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootअर्थ + राशि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन
अकिञ्चनाःhaving nothing; poor
अकिञ्चनाः:
Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootअ + किञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying munayaḥ)
हिindeed
हि:
Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (emphatic/causal)
मुनयःsages
मुनयः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन
श्रद्धावन्तःfaithful
श्रद्धावन्तः:
Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootश्रद्धा + वन्त् (प्रातिपदिक; मतुपर्थक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying munayaḥ)
दिवम्to heaven
दिवम्:
Gati-Karma (Goal/गति-कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootदिव्/दिव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन
गताःwent; have gone
गताः:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√गम् (धातु) (कृदन्त; क्त)
Formभूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; (आख्यातार्थे)
Speaker
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A line of austere munis with minimal belongings receive blessings; above them a luminous path to svarga opens, indicating attainment through śraddhā rather than wealth.
FAQs
True dharma is measured by faith and sincerity, not by the size of one’s donation or wealth.
No specific tīrtha is identified; the verse gives a universal dharma principle.
Cultivate śraddhā as the core ‘qualification’ for dharmic acts, including dāna.