Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

प्रतिश्रुतं कृतं श्लाघ्या दासतांत्यजपक्वणे । हरिश्चंद्रस्येव नृणां न श्लाघ्या सत्यसंधता

Transliteration

pratiśrutaṃ kṛtaṃ ślāghyā dāsatāṃtyajapakvaṇe | hariścaṃdrasyeva nṛṇāṃ na ślāghyā satyasaṃdhatā

Translation

To keep a promise once given is truly praiseworthy—even in one who has matured by renouncing servile dependence. Yet among men, steadfast devotion to truth is not praised as it should be, though it is like that of King Hariścandra.

Word by Word

• प्रतिश्रुतम्: promised
• प्रतिश्रुतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-श्रु (धातु)
• Form: भूतकालिक कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कृतम्: done, fulfilled
• कृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकालिक कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• श्लाघ्या: praiseworthy
• श्लाघ्या: Vidhāna (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लाघ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• दासताम्: servitude
• दासताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दासता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्यज: abandon
• त्यज: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पक्वणे: in/at the cooking-pot (metaph. in hardship)
• पक्वणे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्वण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (अधिकरण)

• हरिश्चन्द्रस्य: of Hariścandra
• हरिश्चन्द्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरिश्चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (Comparison/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• नृणाम्: of men
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• श्लाघ्या: praiseworthy
• श्लाघ्या: Vidhāna (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लाघ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• सत्यसंधता: steadfastness in truth
• सत्यसंधता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + संधता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सत्यस्य संधता = truth-keeping/steadfastness in truth)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (contextual, inferred from subsequent verses)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic moment: the speaker contrasts genuine praiseworthiness of keeping promises with society’s shallow valuation, invoking King Hariścandra as a luminous moral reference.

Characters & Entities

• Hariścandra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld by satya—fulfilling one’s word is a sacred virtue exemplified by Hariścandra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as a dharma-instruction within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse emphasizes ethical observance—truthfulness and keeping vows.