Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

प्रतिज्ञातमनिष्पाद्य मित्रस्याभ्यागतस्य च । कथंकारं न लज्जंते हताशा जीवितेप्सवः

Transliteration

pratijñātamaniṣpādya mitrasyābhyāgatasya ca | kathaṃkāraṃ na lajjaṃte hatāśā jīvitepsavaḥ

Translation

സഹായം തേടി വന്ന സുഹൃത്തിനോട് നൽകിയ പ്രതിജ്ഞ നിറവേറ്റാതെ—ജീവിതം ആഗ്രഹിച്ചിട്ടും നിരാശനായവൻ എങ്ങനെ ലജ്ജിക്കാതെ ഇരിക്കുന്നു?

Word by Word

• प्रतिज्ञातम्: what was promised
• प्रतिज्ञातम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति-√ज्ञा (धातु) → प्रतिज्ञात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; 'अनिष्पाद्य' इत्यस्य कर्म

• अनिष्पाद्य: without fulfilling
• अनिष्पाद्य: पूर्वकाल (Absolutive relation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अ- (निषेध) + नि-√पद्/√साध् (धातु) → निष्पाद्य (क्त्वा/ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (gerund/absolutive) नकारार्थेण; 'अनिष्पाद्य' = 'not having fulfilled'

• मित्रस्य: of a friend
• मित्रस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• अभ्यागतस्य: who has come (as a guest)
• अभ्यागतस्य: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभि-आ-√गम् (धातु) → अभ्यागत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः (क्त), पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; 'मित्रस्य' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्—आगतस्य

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• कथंकारम्: a 'how could I?' (sense of shame)
• कथंकारम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथंकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; 'लज्जन्ते' इत्यस्य विषयः (object of shame)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negation)

• लज्जन्ते: are ashamed
• लज्जन्ते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लज्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• हताशाः: hopeless
• हताशाः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + आशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—कर्मधारयः (हता आशा येषाम्/हत-आशाः)

• जीवितेप्सवः: desirous of life
• जीवितेप्सवः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित (प्रातिपदिक) + इप्सु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (जीवितम् इप्सवः = जीविते इप्सवः)

Speaker

Nāḍījaṅgha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A reflective speaker questions how people who still desire life can feel no shame after breaking a promise to a friend seeking help; the scene is contemplative, with the friend’s arrival implied and the broken promise weighing heavily.

Characters & Entities

• Mitra-dharma
• Pratijñā (promise)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Keeping one’s promise—especially to a dependent friend—is a core dharma; survival without integrity is portrayed as shameful.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is referenced; the verse emphasizes ethical dharma within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a moral injunction about fulfilling vows and promises.