Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

ऊनेनापि हि तुच्छेन वैरिणापि कथंचन । मैत्री बुद्धिमता कार्या आपद्यपि निवर्तते

Transliteration

ūnenāpi hi tucchena vairiṇāpi kathaṃcana | maitrī buddhimatā kāryā āpadyapi nivartate

Translation

Selbst mit einem Unterlegenen oder Unbedeutenden — ja selbst mit einem Feind — kann der Weise Freundschaft schließen; denn in Zeiten des Unheils vermag sie die Gefahr zurückzudrängen.

Word by Word

• ūnena: by an inferior (one)
• ūnena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ūna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (करण) एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (Instrumental singular, neuter)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थे ‘even/also’

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

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (adversative particle)

• tucchena: by a petty/insignificant (one)
• tucchena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tuccha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (Instrumental singular, neuter)

• vairiṇā: by an enemy
• vairiṇā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vairin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular, masculine)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle) ‘even/also’

• kathaṃcana: in any way
• kathaṃcana: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kathaṃcana (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (adverb) ‘in any way/at all’

• maitrī: friendship
• maitrī: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maitrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Nominative singular, feminine)

• buddhimatā: by a wise person
• buddhimatā: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhimat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular, masculine); कर्तृवाचकः ‘by the wise’

• kāryā: should be made/should be done
• kāryā: Pradhana-kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + -ya (कृत्) → kārya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; विधेयविशेषणम्; कर्मणि भावे ‘to be done/should be made’ (gerundive)

• āpadi: in calamity
• āpadi: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āpad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम् (Locative singular, feminine)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle) ‘even’

• nivartate: turns back/withdraws
• nivartate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकालः), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम् (Present, 3rd sg, Ātmanepada)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating strategic counsel among Daityas (contextual deduction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha kṣetra (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A council-like moment: a wise figure advising conciliation—friendship even with a minor or enemy—against a backdrop hinting at Himalayan Kedāra sanctity (snow peaks, bilva, trident motifs).

Characters & Entities

• Daitya
• Vairin (enemy)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wisdom in dharma includes adaptability: humility and strategic friendship can prevent greater harm when adversity arises.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra is the chapter’s sacred setting, though the verse itself focuses on counsel rather than explicit tīrtha praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual instruction is present.