Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 120

Devanagari script

त्रिवर्गसाधने यत्नः कर्तव्यो गृहमेधिना । तत्संसिद्धौ गृहस्थस्य सिद्धिरत्र परत्र च

Transliteration

trivargasādhane yatnaḥ kartavyo gṛhamedhinā | tatsaṃsiddhau gṛhasthasya siddhiratra paratra ca

Translation

居家之人当勤修人生三义（法 dharma、利 artha、欲 kāma）。若能如法成就，居士于此世与来世皆得圆满成功。

Word by Word

• त्रि: three
• त्रि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; (समासाङ्ग)

• वर्ग: group; set
• वर्ग: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• साधने: in accomplishing; in the means of attainment
• साधने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• त्रिवर्गसाधने: in the attainment of the three aims (dharma-artha-kāma)
• त्रिवर्गसाधने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘त्रिवर्गस्य साधने’

• यत्नः: effort
• यत्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कर्तव्यः: to be done; should be made
• कर्तव्यः: Kriya-visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• गृहमेधिना: by the householder (sacrificing householder)
• गृहमेधिना: Karana/Karta (Agent-instrument/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहमेधिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (समासाङ्ग)

• संसिद्धौ: in the accomplishment; on success
• संसिद्धौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तत्संसिद्धौ: upon its accomplishment
• तत्संसिद्धौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + संसिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘तस्य संसिद्धौ’

• गृहस्थस्य: of the householder
• गृहस्थस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सिद्धिः: success; attainment
• सिद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (here)

• परत्र: there; in the next world
• परत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (there; in the next world)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder at the center of a balanced composition: family, livelihood tools, and a small shrine; three paths labeled dharma, artha, kāma converge into a single road leading to ‘siddhi’ in both realms.

Characters & Entities

• Gṛhastha
• Trivarga (Dharma-Artha-Kāma)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma affirms the householder’s life as a legitimate spiritual path when it harmonizes dharma, prosperity, and rightful enjoyment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; it is a general instruction on gṛhastha-dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A life-practice prescription: disciplined effort toward the trivarga as part of dharmic household life.