Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 97

Devanagari script

तस्मात्सदा महद्भिश्च आत्मार्थं च परार्थतः । सतां धर्मो न संत्याज्यो न्याय्यं तच्छिक्षणं तव

Transliteration

tasmātsadā mahadbhiśca ātmārthaṃ ca parārthataḥ | satāṃ dharmo na saṃtyājyo nyāyyaṃ tacchikṣaṇaṃ tava

Translation

Darum sollen die Großen stets—zum eigenen Heil und zum Heil der anderen—niemals das Dharma der Tugendhaften aufgeben. Deine Unterweisung hierin ist recht und gerecht.

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात् = 'therefore' (ablatival adverbial usage)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: always)

• mahadbhiḥ: by the great (people)
• mahadbhiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ātma-artham: one’s own benefit
• ātma-artham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रयोजन (for one’s own good)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• para-arthataḥ: for others’ sake
• para-arthataḥ: Sambandha (Purpose/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + arthatas (अव्यय; अर्थतः)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; अर्थतः = 'for the sake of/with respect to' (adverbial)

• satām: of the good (people)
• satām: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• dharmaḥ: dharma; righteous duty
• dharmaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• saṃtyājyaḥ: to be abandoned
• saṃtyājyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-√tyaj (धातु) + ya (कृत्; त्याज्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be abandoned)

• nyāyyam: proper, just
• nyāyyam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nyāyya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (proper/just)

• tat: that
• tat: Anvaya (Reference/अन्वय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश (that)

• śikṣaṇam: instruction
• śikṣaṇam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śikṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक; √śikṣ + lyuṭ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाफल/भाव (instruction/teaching)

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; मध्यमपुरुष-सम्बन्ध (your)

Speaker

Nakula (contextual continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A respectful closure: disciple bows; the teacher’s instruction is shown as a luminous thread connecting self-benefit and public benefit—two lotuses labeled ‘ātmārtha’ and ‘parārtha’.

Characters & Entities

• Sat (the virtuous)
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The virtuous must uphold dharma unwaveringly, because it benefits both oneself and the wider world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the passage emphasizes dharmic duty rather than sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; the ‘practice’ prescribed is steadfast adherence to sat-dharma.