Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

परार्थाय भवत्येष पुरुषोऽन्ये पुरीषकाः । ततः संचिंत्य प्राहेदं सुभद्रो मुनिसत्तमम्

Transliteration

parārthāya bhavatyeṣa puruṣo'nye purīṣakāḥ | tataḥ saṃciṃtya prāhedaṃ subhadro munisattamam

Translation

„Dieses Menschenleben ist zum Wohl der anderen bestimmt; wer anders lebt, ist nicht besser als Unrat.“ So bedacht, sprach Subhadra diese Worte zum erhabensten der Weisen.

Word by Word

• para-arthāya: for others' benefit
• para-arthāya: Sampradāna (Purpose/recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (पर) + artha (अर्थ)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (परस्य अर्थः); पुल्लिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (dative), एकवचन

• bhavati: becomes/is
• bhavati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• eṣaḥ: this
• eṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (एतद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• puruṣaḥ: man/person
• puruṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (पुरुष प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• anye: others
• anye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (अन्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• purīṣakāḥ: worthless fellows (lit. excrement-like)
• purīṣakāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purīṣaka (पुरीषक प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Sequencer/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, अनन्तर/तस्मात्-अर्थे (then/thereupon)

• saṃciṃtya: having thought
• saṃciṃtya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√cint (चिन्त् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; 'having reflected'

• prāha: said
• prāha: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√ah (अह्/ब्रू धात्वर्थे)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन (here: object of 'said')

• subhadraḥ: Subhadra
• subhadraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: subhadra (सुभद्र प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• muni-sattamam: the best of sages
• muni-sattamam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (मुनि) + sattama (सत्तम)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मुनीनां सत्तमः); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Subhadra, resolute, addresses the foremost sage; posture upright, hand raised in gentle emphasis; companions listen, the setting suggesting a tīrtha-camp or āśrama near water.

Characters & Entities

• Subhadra
• Devaśarman (implied in following verses)
• Muni (unnamed sage)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Human life becomes meaningful through service and benefit to others; selfish living is condemned.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it sets an ethical foundation for the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse emphasizes dharma through altruistic conduct.