Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 188

Devanagari script

स्कंद उवाच । शाधि त्वमेव त्रैलोक्यं भवानिंद्रोस्तु सर्वदा । करिष्ये चेंद्रकर्माणि न ममेंद्रत्वमीप्सितम्

Transliteration

skaṃda uvāca | śādhi tvameva trailokyaṃ bhavāniṃdrostu sarvadā | kariṣye ceṃdrakarmāṇi na mameṃdratvamīpsitam

Translation

സ്കന്ദൻ പറഞ്ഞു: നീ തന്നേ ത്രിലോകവും ഭരിക്കൂ; നീ എപ്പോഴും ഇന്ദ്രനായി ഇരിക്കട്ടെ. ഞാൻ ഇന്ദ്രന്റെ കര്‍മ്മങ്ങൾ നിർവഹിക്കും; എന്നാൽ ഇന്ദ്രത്വപദവി എനിക്ക് അഭിലഷിതമല്ല.

Word by Word

• स्कन्दः: Skanda
• स्कन्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• शाधि: rule, govern, instruct
• शाधि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शास् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• एव: indeed, alone
• एव: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle: 'only/indeed')

• त्रैलोक्यम्: the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (त्रयाणां लोकानां समाहारः)

• भवान्: your honour (you)
• भवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; आदरार्थक-सर्वनाम

• इन्द्रः: Indra
• इन्द्रः: Karta (Predicate-nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अस्तु: let (him) be
• अस्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive sense), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'always')

• करिष्ये: I will do
• करिष्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• इन्द्रकर्माणि: Indra's duties
• इन्द्रकर्माणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (इन्द्रस्य कर्माणि)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• इन्द्रत्वम्: Indra-hood, the status of Indra
• इन्द्रत्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भाववाचक-तद्धित (state of being Indra)

• ईप्सितम्: desired
• ईप्सितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईप्स् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भूतकृत् (past passive participle: 'desired')

Speaker

Skanda

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Indra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Skanda responds calmly to Indra: a gesture of reassurance (abhaya) and refusal of the throne; Indra remains seated as rightful ruler; Skanda stands ready for action, emphasizing service over sovereignty.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Indra
• Three Worlds (Trailokya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True greatness lies in service and duty (kārya), not in titles or power.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha appears; the emphasis is on dharma and leadership ethics.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it presents an ideal of selfless action rather than ritual practice.