Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

द्विजान् सुकृत्पणान् देवः कुष्ठी भूत्वा ययाच ह । श्राद्धकाले तु सम्प्राप्ते रक्तगन्धानुलेपनः

Transliteration

dvijān sukṛtpaṇān devaḥ kuṣṭhī bhūtvā yayāca ha | śrāddhakāle tu samprāpte raktagandhānulepanaḥ

Translation

إن الإله، وقد اتخذ هيئة أبرص، سأل الصدقة من براهمة كأنهم تُجّارُ البرّ—أخيارٌ ولكنهم يحسبون الحساب. ولما حضر وقت الشرادها (śrāddha) ظهر متلطّخاً بطيبٍ أحمرَ عطِر.

Word by Word

• द्विजान्: Brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• सुकृत्पणान्: virtuous (pious)
• सुकृत्पणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुकृत्-पण (प्रातिपदिक; सुकृत् + पण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘सुकृत्’ (पुण्य) + ‘पण’ (व्यवहार/व्यापार) → पुण्य-व्यवहारिणः/पुण्यशीलाः (as epithet)

• देवः: the god (Lord)
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कुष्ठी: leprous
• कुष्ठी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुष्ठिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कुष्ठरोगयुक्तः’

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive); ‘having become’

• ययाच: begged
• ययाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: याच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed/for emphasis
• ह: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), कथन-प्रत्यय/स्मरणार्थक

• श्राद्धकाले: at the time of śrāddha
• श्राद्धकाले: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध-काल (प्रातिपदिक; श्राद्ध + काल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘श्राद्धस्य काले’

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse connector (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधान/विरोधार्थक (but/indeed)

• सम्प्राप्ते: when (it) had arrived
• सम्प्राप्ते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (काले) ‘सम्प्राप्ते’ = when (it) had arrived

• रक्तगन्धानुलेपनः: smeared with a blood-like stench
• रक्तगन्धानुलेपनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त-गन्ध-अनुलेपन (प्रातिपदिक; रक्त + गन्ध + अनुलेपन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; ‘रक्तगन्धेन अनुलेपनं यस्य’ (as epithet)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā/Narmadā-taṭa (episode setting)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Lord appears as a leper beggar at śrāddha-time, oddly smeared with red fragrant paste, approaching brāhmaṇa householders known for ‘merit-trading’ piety.

Characters & Entities

• Deva (Lord)
• Dvija/Brāhmaṇa
• Śrāddha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord tests inner sincerity: charity should arise from compassion and dharma, not from bargaining for merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā (Narmadā) region forms the narrative setting; the verse focuses on a moral test rather than naming a tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śrāddha-kāla is referenced, indicating the ritual time associated with offerings for ancestors and feeding Brāhmaṇas.