Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

परोपकारैकफलं जीवितं हि महात्मनाम् । यदि ज्ञास्यत्यसंदिग्धमिंद्रद्युम्नं स वक्ष्यति

Transliteration

paropakāraikaphalaṃ jīvitaṃ hi mahātmanām | yadi jñāsyatyasaṃdigdhamiṃdradyumnaṃ sa vakṣyati

Translation

بزرگ روحوں کی زندگی کا ایک ہی پھل ہے—دوسروں کی خدمت۔ اگر وہ یقین کے ساتھ اندرَدْیُمن کو جانتا ہوگا تو وہ ہمیں بتا دے گا۔

Word by Word

• para-upakāra-eka-phalam: having the single fruit of helping others
• para-upakāra-eka-phalam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + upakāra (प्रातिपदिक) + eka (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास (परस्य उपकारः; तस्य एकं फलं यस्य) विशेषणरूपेण

• jīvitam: life
• jīvitam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• mahātmanām: of great-souled persons
• mahātmanām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Condition marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional conjunction)

• jñāsyati: will know
• jñāsyati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• asaṃdigdham: without uncertainty
• asaṃdigdham: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: asaṃdigdha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (adverbial accusative); निःसन्देहत्वे (certainly)

• indradyumnam: Indradyumna
• indradyumnam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indradyumna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम (proper noun)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vakṣyati: will tell/say
• vakṣyati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Didactic pause: a sage-like figure speaks a moral aphorism about the purpose of life being service; the listener appears contemplative, with a subtle aura of calm certainty.

Characters & Entities

• Indradyumna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The hallmark of greatness is living for others; dharma ripens as compassionate service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; the verse emphasizes ethical dharma within the story.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse presents a moral principle (paropakāra).