Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

ये शास्त्रज्ञाने सत्यस्मिन्सर्वकर्मार्थसाधके । न कुर्वंत्यात्मनः श्रेयस्तदत्र परमद्भुतम्

Transliteration

ye śāstrajñāne satyasminsarvakarmārthasādhake | na kurvaṃtyātmanaḥ śreyastadatra paramadbhutam

Translation

凡具真实经论之智——能成就一切正业之旨——却仍不求自身至善（śreyas）者；此在此处，实为最奇之事。

Word by Word

• ye: those who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• śāstra-jñāne: in scriptural knowledge
• śāstra-jñāne: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: शास्त्रस्य ज्ञानम्

• satyasmin: in this true (knowledge)
• satyasmin: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies śāstra-jñāne)

• sarva-karma-artha-sādhake: in (that) which accomplishes the aims of all actions
• sarva-karma-artha-sādhake: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + karma (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + sādhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: सर्वेषां कर्मणाम् अर्थं साधयति इति

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

• kurvanti: they do
• kurvanti: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• ātmanaḥ: for themselves; of the self
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (Beneficiary-genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; स्वार्थे (for oneself)

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

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikarana (Adverbial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• parama-adbhutam: most wonderful
• parama-adbhutam: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + adbhuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: परमं च तत् अद्भुतम्

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A scholar holding a manuscript stands before a shining gateway labeled ‘śreyas’; yet he turns away toward mundane pursuits. Above, a celestial figure gestures in astonishment—‘paramadbhutam’.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even genuine scriptural learning is futile if it does not lead one to pursue śreyas—inner spiritual welfare and liberation-oriented living.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it gives a general dhārmic exhortation within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed; the verse prescribes a life-choice: acting toward śreyas in light of śāstra.