Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

नाज्ञातं तस्य किंचिच्च यद्धर्मेषु प्रकीर्त्यते । सर्वेषां च सुहृन्नित्यं सर्वेषां च हिते रतः

Transliteration

nājñātaṃ tasya kiṃcicca yaddharmeṣu prakīrtyate | sarveṣāṃ ca suhṛnnityaṃ sarveṣāṃ ca hite rataḥ

Translation

Nichts von dem, was über Dharma gelehrt wird, war ihm unbekannt. Er war stets ein Freund für alle und dem Wohl aller zugetan.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• अज्ञातम्: unknown
• अज्ञातम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अज्ञात (कृदन्त; √ज्ञा धातु, क्त; नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त — Neuter Nom/Acc sg; ‘unknown’

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन — Genitive sg (pronoun)

• किञ्चित्: anything
• किञ्चित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक — Neuter Nom/Acc sg; ‘anything’

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

• यत्: which
• यत्: Anuvartya (Relative/यद्-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter Nom/Acc sg (relative pronoun)

• धर्मेषु: in matters of dharma
• धर्मेषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन — Masculine Locative pl

• प्रकीर्त्यते: is proclaimed, is spoken of
• प्रकीर्त्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग — Present, 3rd person sg; passive voice

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — Genitive pl

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

• सुहृत्: friend, well-wisher
• सुहृत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Masculine Nom sg

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriyavisheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् — Neuter Acc sg used adverbially

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, बहुवचन — Genitive pl

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

• हिते: in welfare, in benefit
• हिते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (कृदन्त; √धा धातु, क्त; ‘हित’ = beneficial)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — Neuter Locative sg

• रतः: devoted, engaged
• रतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (कृदन्त; √रम् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त — Masculine Nom sg; ‘engaged/devoted’

Speaker

Nārada (context continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapileśvara/Nandabhadra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The merchant is shown assisting travelers, feeding the poor, speaking kindly, and offering guidance—his dharma-knowledge expressed as universal friendship; the liṅga shrine stands in the background as the moral center.

Characters & Entities

• Merchant (vāṇik)
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True dharma is both knowledge and benevolence: learning must mature into universal friendship and active welfare.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly Bahūdaka, by portraying the saintly life fostered around its Śiva worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; the verse emphasizes ethical conduct and universal well-wishing.