Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

प्राणिनां परमो लाभः केवलं प्राणिसौहृदम् । दरिद्रा रागिणोऽसत्यप्रतिज्ञाता गुरुद्रुहः

Transliteration

prāṇināṃ paramo lābhaḥ kevalaṃ prāṇisauhṛdam | daridrā rāgiṇo'satyapratijñātā gurudruhaḥ

Translation

For living beings, the highest gain is nothing but goodwill and friendship toward living beings. Yet those impoverished in virtue, ruled by attachment, become false in their promises and treacherous even to their teachers.

Word by Word

• प्राणिनाम्: of living beings
• प्राणिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• परमः: supreme
• परमः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (लाभः)

• लाभः: gain
• लाभः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• केवलम्: only
• केवलम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे प्रयुक्तम्; अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial: ‘only’)

• प्राणि-सौहृदम्: friendliness toward living beings
• प्राणि-सौहृदम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणि (प्रातिपदिक) + सौहृद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—प्राणिनां सौहृदम्

• दरिद्राः: poor
• दरिद्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दरिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• रागिणः: passionate / attached
• रागिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रागिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• असत्य-प्रतिज्ञाताः: false-promising / untrue to vows
• असत्य-प्रतिज्ञाताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रतिज्ञात (कृदन्त, √ज्ञा/ज्ञाने, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः—असत्या प्रतिज्ञा येषां/असत्यं प्रतिज्ञातं येषां

• गुरु-द्रुहः: betrayers of the teacher
• गुरु-द्रुहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रुह् (प्रातिपदिक; √द्रुह्-द्रोहे)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः—गुरौ द्रुह्यन्ति इति

Speaker

Indradyumna (contextual continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A compassionate pilgrim offers water and food to travelers and animals; behind, a shadow-figure bound by red threads (rāga) breaks a promise-scroll and turns away from a seated guru.

Characters & Entities

• Prāṇi-sauhṛda (goodwill to beings)
• Guru (teacher)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Universal goodwill is praised as life’s greatest profit, while attachment is condemned for leading to betrayal and untruth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse teaches general dharma applicable to all sacred journeys and communities.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; it recommends a moral observance: cultivate prāṇi-sauhṛda and uphold satya and guru-respect.