Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

इंद्रद्युम्न उवाच । अमी ममैव सुहृदो मार्कंडबककौशिकाः । गृध्रकूर्मौ प्रभावोऽयममीषां मम वृद्धये

Transliteration

iṃdradyumna uvāca | amī mamaiva suhṛdo mārkaṃḍabakakauśikāḥ | gṛdhrakūrmau prabhāvo'yamamīṣāṃ mama vṛddhaye

Translation

Indradyumna nói: “Quả thật đây là những người bạn lành của ta—Mārkaṇḍa, Baka và Kauśika. Oai lực kỳ diệu của chim kền kền và con rùa này đã làm cho họ được tăng trưởng, và cũng nâng ta lên nữa.”

Word by Word

• iṃdradyumnaḥ: Indradyumna
• iṃdradyumnaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: iṃdradyumna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (उवाच इत्यस्य कर्ता)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• amī: these (people)
• amī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'these (yonder)'

• mama: of me / my
• mama: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

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

• suhṛdaḥ: friends, well-wishers
• suhṛdaḥ: Karta (Apposition to amī/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suhṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (सुहृद्-शब्दः)

• mārkaṇḍa-baka-kauśikāḥ: Mārkaṇḍa, Baka, and Kauśika
• mārkaṇḍa-baka-kauśikāḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārkaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक/नाम) + baka (प्रातिपदिक) + kauśika (प्रातिपदिक/नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः (तीन नामानि)

• gṛdhra-kūrmau: the vulture and the tortoise
• gṛdhra-kūrmau: Karta (Subject/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛdhra (प्रातिपदिक) + kūrma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वः (vulture and tortoise)

• prabhāvaḥ: power, influence
• prabhāvaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ayam: this
• ayam: Viśeṣaṇa (Demonstrative/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• amīṣām: of these (ones)
• amīṣām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन; 'of these'

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• vṛddhaye: for (my) increase/prosperity
• vṛddhaye: Sampradana (Purpose/recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

Speaker

Indradyumna

Visual Art Cues

Scene: King Indradyumna, hands folded, addresses sages (Mārkaṇḍa, Baka, Kauśika) while a vulture and a tortoise appear nearby, radiating a subtle miraculous aura; attendants and forest-hermitage setting suggest a sacred narrative moment.

Characters & Entities

• Indradyumna
• Mārkaṇḍa
• Baka
• Kauśika
• Gṛdhra (vulture)
• Kūrma (tortoise)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Recognizing benefactors and honoring true well-wishers is itself a dharmic virtue, strengthening one’s spiritual progress.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; the focus is on relationships of dharma and gratitude.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it is a narrative reflection on the beneficial power (prabhāva) of dharmic companionship and aid.