Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

सद्धि यस्तं सदाचारं धर्ममूलं विदुर्बुधाः । लक्षणैः परिहीनोऽपि सम्यगाचारतत्परः

Transliteration

saddhi yastaṃ sadācāraṃ dharmamūlaṃ vidurbudhāḥ | lakṣaṇaiḥ parihīno'pi samyagācāratatparaḥ

Translation

ബുദ്ധിമാന്മാർ അറിയുന്നു—സദാചാരമാണ് ധർമ്മത്തിന്റെ മൂലം. ബാഹ്യലക്ഷണങ്ങൾ ഇല്ലെങ്കിലും, സമ്യഗാചാരത്തിൽ തത്പരനായവൻ തന്നെയാണ് യഥാർത്ഥത്തിൽ സ്ഥാപിതൻ.

Word by Word

• सत्: good/right
• सत्: Predicate/Emphasis (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगे ‘सत्यम्/उचितम्’

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात—कारण/अवधारण

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सदाचारम्: good conduct
• सदाचारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् + आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• धर्ममूलम्: the root of dharma
• धर्ममूलम्: Karma-apposition (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘धर्मस्य मूलम्’ (root of dharma)

• विदुः: know
• विदुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• बुधाः: the wise
• बुधाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• लक्षणैः: by marks/qualities
• लक्षणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• परिहीनः: devoid (of)
• परिहीनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + √हा (धातु) + क्त (हीन)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘वर्जितः/हीनः’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Concessive particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात—अपि (even/also)

• सम्यगाचारतत्परः: devoted to proper conduct
• सम्यगाचारतत्परः: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय) + आचार + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘सम्यगाचार-तत्परः’ = right conduct devoted

Speaker

Unspecified (Dharmāraṇyakhaṇḍa narrative voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two figures contrasted: one richly marked with external symbols but behaving arrogantly; another plainly dressed yet serving others and studying—radiant with inner light labeled ‘sadācāra’.

Characters & Entities

• Budha (the wise)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is measured by conduct, not by external labels, signs, or status.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred site is mentioned; the verse presents a general dharma principle.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual; it prescribes devotion to samyak-ācāra (proper conduct).