Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

त्वमिदं सत्यवचनं कर्तुमर्हसि पांडव । त्वद्विधानां हि साधूनां जन्म दीनोपकारकम्

Transliteration

tvamidaṃ satyavacanaṃ kartumarhasi pāṃḍava | tvadvidhānāṃ hi sādhūnāṃ janma dīnopakārakam

Translation

Ô Pāṇḍava, il te convient de rendre vraie cette parole de vérité. Car la naissance des hommes vertueux tels que toi est destinée à relever et secourir les démunis.

Word by Word

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचनम्

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचनम्

• satyavacanam: true promise/statement
• satyavacanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक) + vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (satyaṃ vacanaṃ = true statement)

• kartum: to do/fulfil
• kartum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु √kṛ/कृ)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त infinitive (कर्तुम्)

• arhasi: you are fit/ought
• arhasi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (धातु √arh/अर्ह्)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (present), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुषः (2nd person), एकवचनम्

• pāṃḍava: O Pāṇḍava
• pāṃḍava: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṇḍava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, संबोधन (8th case/vocative), एकवचनम्

• tvadvidhānām: of those like you
• tvadvidhānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + vidhāna/vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), बहुवचनम्; बहुव्रीहि-समासः (tvad-vidhāḥ = those like you)

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

• sādhūnām: of the good/virtuous
• sādhūnām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), बहुवचनम्

• janma: birth/life
• janma: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचनम्

• dīnopakārakam: beneficial to the poor
• dīnopakārakam: Visheshana (Adjectival predicate/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīna (प्रातिपदिक) + upakāraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचनम्; चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (dīnānām upakārakam = helpful to the poor)

Speaker

Nārī (supplication to Arjuna/Dhanaṃjaya)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍava (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A supplicant addresses a Pāṇḍava hero, urging him to fulfill a truthful promise; the hero stands poised, compassionate yet resolute, with attendants and a sacred setting implied.

Characters & Entities

• Pāṇḍava (Arjuna)
• Sādhūnām (the virtuous)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The virtuous are born to serve—truthfulness and protection of the distressed are central duties of the noble.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse emphasizes dharma (satya and compassion) within the pilgrimage narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual; it is an ethical injunction to uphold satyavacana and aid the dīna (afflicted).