Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

सुहृदय उवाच । क्षत्रियाणां कुले जातस्त्वहं धर्माभिरक्षिणाम् । तस्मात्ते पातकं कर्तुं न दास्यामि कथंचन

Transliteration

suhṛdaya uvāca | kṣatriyāṇāṃ kule jātastvahaṃ dharmābhirakṣiṇām | tasmātte pātakaṃ kartuṃ na dāsyāmi kathaṃcana

Translation

സുഹൃദയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ധർമ്മം കാക്കുന്ന ക്ഷത്രിയകുലത്തിൽ ജനിച്ചവനാണ് ഞാൻ. അതിനാൽ നീ ഈ പാതകം ചെയ്യാൻ ഞാൻ ഒരുവിധത്തിലും അനുവദിക്കുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• सुहृदयः: Suhṛdaya
• सुहृदयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• क्षत्रियाणाम्: of kṣatriyas
• क्षत्रियाणाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• कुले: in a family
• कुले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जातः: born
• जातः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धर्माभिरक्षिणाम्: of protectors of dharma
• धर्माभिरक्षिणाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + अभिरक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य अभिरक्षिणः)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण हेत्वर्थक-अव्यय (therefore/from that reason)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पातकम्: sin/crime
• पातकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कर्तुम्: to do/commit
• कर्तुम्: Kriya-artha (Purpose/क्रियार्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तुमुन्
• Form: तुमुनन्त (Infinitive)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• दास्यामि: I will give/allow
• दास्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कथंचन: in any way at all
• कथंचन: Sambandha (Modal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-प्रबलक-अव्यय (in any way/at all)

Speaker

Suhṛdaya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Suhṛdaya steps between Bhīma and the water, stance wide and protective, palm outward in a stopping gesture; Bhīma looms behind, surprised by resistance.

Characters & Entities

• Suhṛdaya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes actively preventing wrongdoing; true nobility protects righteousness in society.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; the verse supports tīrtha-dharma by stressing moral guardianship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an ethical vow of restraint and protection rather than a ritual instruction.