Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

न श्रृणोति परं श्रेयः सति चक्षुषि नेक्षते । समे पथि समैर्गच्छन्स्खलतीव पदेपदे

Transliteration

na śrṛṇoti paraṃ śreyaḥ sati cakṣuṣi nekṣate | same pathi samairgacchanskhalatīva padepade

Translation

他不听至善之教；虽有双目，却不见真相。纵与众同行于平坦之道，亦似步步踉跄而跌。

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• śṛṇoti: he hears
• śṛṇoti: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• param: supreme, highest
• param: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• śreyaḥ: the good, welfare
• śreyaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; कर्मपद (object)

• sati: when (it) exists; though present
• sati: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute) प्रयोग; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-रूप (contextual)

• cakṣuṣi: in the eye; with eyes present
• cakṣuṣi: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakṣus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी-सह (with locative absolute)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• īkṣate: he sees
• īkṣate: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: īkṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• same: on level (ground)
• same: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• pathi: on the path
• pathi: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pathin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• samaiḥ: with equals; with level (steps)
• samaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• gacchan: going, walking
• gacchan: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• skhalati: he stumbles
• skhalati: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: skhal (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• iva: as if
• iva: Sambandha (Comparison/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानार्थक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• pade: at (each) step
• pade: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे पुनरुक्ति (in distributive sense)

• pade: at every step
• pade: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (reduplication)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A traveler on a smooth, straight road walks among companions yet repeatedly stumbles; his eyes are open but unfocused, ears turned away from a sage pointing toward a luminous ‘śreyas’ path.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Avidyā makes one ignore śreyas and repeatedly err, even when guidance and opportunity are available.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it emphasizes heeding wise counsel and cultivating discernment.