Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

परोपकारैकफलं जीवितं हि महात्मनाम् । यदि ज्ञास्यत्यसंदिग्धमिंद्रद्युम्नं स वक्ष्यति

Transliteration

paropakāraikaphalaṃ jīvitaṃ hi mahātmanām | yadi jñāsyatyasaṃdigdhamiṃdradyumnaṃ sa vakṣyati

Translation

„Wahrlich, für große Seelen trägt das Leben nur eine Frucht: den Dienst am Anderen. Wenn er Indradyumna gewiss kennt, wird er es (uns) sagen.“

Word by Word

• para-upakāra-eka-phalam: having the single fruit of helping others
• para-upakāra-eka-phalam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + upakāra (प्रातिपदिक) + eka (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास (परस्य उपकारः; तस्य एकं फलं यस्य) विशेषणरूपेण

• jīvitam: life
• jīvitam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• mahātmanām: of great-souled persons
• mahātmanām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Condition marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional conjunction)

• jñāsyati: will know
• jñāsyati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• asaṃdigdham: without uncertainty
• asaṃdigdham: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: asaṃdigdha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (adverbial accusative); निःसन्देहत्वे (certainly)

• indradyumnam: Indradyumna
• indradyumnam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indradyumna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम (proper noun)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vakṣyati: will tell/say
• vakṣyati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Didactic pause: a sage-like figure speaks a moral aphorism about the purpose of life being service; the listener appears contemplative, with a subtle aura of calm certainty.

Characters & Entities

• Indradyumna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The hallmark of greatness is living for others; dharma ripens as compassionate service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; the verse emphasizes ethical dharma within the story.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse presents a moral principle (paropakāra).