Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

परेषामनपेक्ष्यैव कृतप्रतिकृतं हि यः । प्रवर्तते हितायैव स सुहृत्प्रोच्यते बुधैः

Transliteration

pareṣāmanapekṣyaiva kṛtapratikṛtaṃ hi yaḥ | pravartate hitāyaiva sa suhṛtprocyate budhaiḥ

Translation

جو شخص دوسروں کی طرف دیکھے بغیر، احسان کے بدلے احسان کرتے ہوئے، صرف دوسرے کی بھلائی کے لیے عمل کرے—داناؤں کے نزدیک وہی سچا دوست کہلاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• pareṣām: of others
• pareṣām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; 'of others'

• anapekṣya: without expecting (anything)
• anapekṣya: Sambandha (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: an-apa-√īkṣ (धातु) → apekṣya (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) — 'without considering/without expecting'

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात — अवधारण

• kṛta-pratikṛtam: a favor and its return (reciprocity)
• kṛta-pratikṛtam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त) + pratikṛta (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः (कृतं च प्रतिकृतं च) — 'benefit and return-benefit/reciprocity'

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात — निश्चय/हेतु

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• pravartate: acts/engages
• pravartate: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• hitāya: for welfare/benefit
• hitāya: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ (for the welfare)

• eva: only/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात — अवधारण

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Main subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• suhṛt: a true friend
• suhṛt: Karta-bhāva (Predicate complement/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suhṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-नाम (predicate noun)

• procyate: is called
• procyate: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vac (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• budhaiḥ: by the wise
• budhaiḥ: Karana/Agent (Agent in passive/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

Speaker

Indradyumna (contextual continuation of his reflection on friendship)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic vignette: a traveler-friend offers water, shade, and guidance to another without being asked; in the background, a tīrtha path with a well and a small shrine underscores pilgrimage ethics.

Characters & Entities

• Suhṛt (true friend)
• Budha (the wise)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Friendship in dharma is measured by selfless initiative and active concern for another’s good.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse is an ethical definition within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the prescription is moral conduct—repaying kindness and acting for others’ welfare.