Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

कश्चिद्देवेषु विप्रेषु गोषु साधुषु सर्वदा । हैडंबे नापकुरुषे प्रियमेतद्धरेश्च नः

Transliteration

kaściddeveṣu vipreṣu goṣu sādhuṣu sarvadā | haiḍaṃbe nāpakuruṣe priyametaddhareśca naḥ

Translation

ଦେବତା, ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ, ଗୋ, ଏବଂ ସାଧୁମାନଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି କେହି କେବେ ଅପକାର ନ କରୁ। ଏହା ହୈଡମ୍ବଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରିୟ, ଏବଂ ଆମ ପ୍ରଭୁ ଧର୍ମରାଜଙ୍କୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ପ୍ରିୟ।

Word by Word

• कश्चित्: someone/anyone
• कश्चित्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक (indefinite pronoun)

• देवेषु: among the gods
• देवेषु: Adhikarana (Domain/‘among’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• विप्रेषु: among the Brahmins
• विप्रेषु: Adhikarana (Domain/‘among’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• गोषु: among the cows
• गोषु: Adhikarana (Domain/‘among’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• साधुषु: among the good people
• साधुषु: Adhikarana (Domain/‘among’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kriya-viseshana (Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (always)

• हैडम्बे: O Haiḍamba
• हैडम्बे: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हैडम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; (Heḍamba/son of Heḍambā)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation particle)

• अपकुरुषे: you harm/do wrong
• अपकुरुषे: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; धातु: कृ, उपसर्ग: अप; ‘do harm’

• प्रियम्: pleasing, dear (thing)
• प्रियम्: Karma-pravachaniya/Predicate complement (Vidheya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; यहाँ विधेय-नाम (predicate noun)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier of priyam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• हरेः: of Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरेः: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• नः: of us/our
• नः: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन; अस्मद्-प्रयोग (our)

Speaker

Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira), inferred from immediate narrative context (next verse: 'iti pṛṣṭo dharmarājñā')

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Heḍamba-vana (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dharmic proclamation in the assembly: the king (or elder) raises a hand in injunction, while the warrior-listener stands attentive; symbolic presence of a cow, a brāhmaṇa with staff, and a seated sadhu to embody the protected classes.

Characters & Entities

• Haidamba
• Devas
• Vipras (Brāhmaṇas)
• Cows (Go)
• Sādhus
• Hari (Lord)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Non-injury and reverence toward devas, brāhmaṇas, cows, and sādhus is upheld as a core marker of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it teaches general Purāṇic dharma rather than a location-mahātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed; the instruction is ethical—avoid harming revered beings and uphold protection.