Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

परपीडामकुर्वाणः पर लोकसहायिनम् । धर्म एव सहायी स्यादमुत्र परिरक्षितः

Transliteration

parapīḍāmakurvāṇaḥ para lokasahāyinam | dharma eva sahāyī syādamutra parirakṣitaḥ

Translation

Wer anderen kein Leid zufügt, sichert sich einen Helfer für die jenseitige Welt. Dort wird allein das Dharma zum Gefährten und bewahrt ihn im nächsten Dasein.

Word by Word

• पर: of another
• पर: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; पीडा इत्यस्य सम्बन्धे (in compound)

• पीडाम्: harm/affliction
• पीडाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीडा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कृदन्तस्य कर्म

• अकुर्वाणः: not doing
• अकुर्वाणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + शानच् (शतृ/शानच्) with नकार (अ-निषेध)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्तरि शानच् कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नकारेण निषेधः

• पर: other/next
• पर: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; लोक इत्यस्य सम्बन्धे (in compound)

• लोक: world
• लोक: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• सहायिनम्: helper/benefactor
• सहायिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अकुर्वाणः इत्यस्य विशेष्य (apposition)

• धर्मः: dharma/merit
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• सहायी: a companion/helper
• सहायी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

• स्यात्: would be/should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अमुत्र: there (in the next world)
• अमुत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अमुत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक अव्यय (there/in the other world)

• परिरक्षितः: protected
• परिरक्षितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + रक्ष् (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम्

Speaker

Unspecified (Dharmāraṇyakhaṇḍa narrative voice; traditionally framed within Sūta’s discourse in Purāṇic setting)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A traveler at a crossroads between worlds: relatives fade into the background while a luminous figure labeled ‘Dharma’ stands as the sole companion; foreground shows the traveler refraining from harming another being.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Non-harming (ahiṃsā) is a direct investment in one’s afterlife; dharma alone accompanies and safeguards the soul.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse provides the ethical foundation expected of pilgrims and householders alike.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The practical injunction is ethical: refrain from injuring others; this itself functions as a powerful dharma-practice.