Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

उपाकरोषि जंतूनामेवंरूपा हि साधवः । किमतः प्रोच्यते तुभ्यं धन्यस्त्वं पृथिवीधर

Transliteration

upākaroṣi jaṃtūnāmevaṃrūpā hi sādhavaḥ | kimataḥ procyate tubhyaṃ dhanyastvaṃ pṛthivīdhara

Translation

تم جانداروں پر احسان کرتے ہو—نیکوں کی یہی فطرت ہے۔ تم سے اور کیا کہا جائے؟ اے زمین کو تھامنے والے پہاڑ! تم مبارک ہو۔

Word by Word

• उपाकरोषि: you do a service/help
• उपाकरोषि: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-√कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• जन्तूनाम्: of creatures
• जन्तूनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• एवंरूपाः: of such a nature
• एवंरूपाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एवंरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—एवं + रूप (एवंविध-रूपाः)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ

• साधवः: good people/saints
• साधवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• अतः: therefore/from this
• अतः: Hetu/Adhikaraṇa (Reason marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कारण/तस्मात्-अर्थे (therefore/from this)

• प्रोच्यते: is said/told
• प्रोच्यते: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया/चतुर्थी-रूपम्; चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (enclitic form)

• धन्यः: fortunate/blessed
• धन्यः: Viśeṣya-predicative (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• पृथिवीधर: O mountain (earth-bearer)
• पृथिवीधर: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवीधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; समासः—पृथिवी + धर (धारयति इति)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa), narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Himālaya (as devagiri/kshetra-support)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Phālguna (Arjuna)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A venerable mountain personified as a steadfast guardian, receiving praise for sustaining creatures; sages or divine speakers gesture toward the vast snow-clad peaks as symbols of virtue and support.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The hallmark of sādhus is compassionate assistance to beings; such support is itself exalted dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse praises a mountain as a dharmic refuge without naming a specific site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is ethical-theological praise of compassion.