Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

वेदविद्याव्रतस्नातान् सर्वशास्त्रविशारदान् । ऋग्यजुःसामसंयुक्तांस्तथाथर्वविभूषितान्

Transliteration

vedavidyāvratasnātān sarvaśāstraviśāradān | ṛgyajuḥsāmasaṃyuktāṃstathātharvavibhūṣitān

Translation

Sie luden Brahmanen ein, die im vedischen Wissen und in gelobter Zucht gebadet waren, in allen Śāstras bewandert — verbunden mit Ṛg, Yajus und Sāman und zudem geschmückt mit Atharvan‑Überlieferung.

Word by Word

• वेदविद्याव्रतस्नातान्: initiated/versed in Vedas, learning, and vows
• वेदविद्याव्रतस्नातान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नात (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; समास: वेद-विद्या-व्रत + स्नात (तत्पुरुष: ‘bathed/initiated in Vedic learning and vows’) qualifying ‘विप्रान्’ (from previous verse)

• सर्वशास्त्रविशारदान्: expert in all scriptures
• सर्वशास्त्रविशारदान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + विशारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; समास: सर्व-शास्त्र + विशारद (तत्पुरुष: ‘skilled in all śāstras’)

• ऋक्: Ṛg (Ṛgveda)
• ऋक्: Samasa-member (Compound component)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋच्/ऋक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (as first member in coordination; in compound context)

• यजुः: Yajus (Yajurveda)
• यजुः: Samasa-member (Compound component)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (as member)

• साम: Sāma (Sāmaveda)
• साम: Samasa-member (Compound component)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामन्/साम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (as member)

• संयुक्तान्: endowed/associated (with)
• संयुक्तान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + युज् (धातु) → संयुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; qualifies the vipras: ‘endowed/connected with’

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb (‘likewise/also’)

• अथर्व: Atharva (Atharvaveda)
• अथर्व: Samasa-member (Compound component)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अथर्वन्/अथर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग stem used as first member in compound

• विभूषितान्: adorned/embellished (with)
• विभूषितान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + भूष् (धातु) → विभूषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; qualifies the vipras: ‘adorned with’

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession of brāhmaṇas—fresh from ritual bath, marked by vrata discipline—carry the aura of the four Vedas; manuscripts, rosaries, and ritual implements signify mastery of Ṛg, Yajus, Sāman, and Atharvan traditions.

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Vrata
• Śāstra
• Ṛgveda
• Yajurveda
• Sāmaveda
• Atharvaveda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity becomes spiritually potent when offered to worthy recipients grounded in Veda, vows, and śāstric wisdom.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified here; the emphasis is on the sanctity of learned brāhmaṇas within the Revā Khaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Selection/invitation of qualified brāhmaṇas—those versed in the four Vedas—as recipients for dāna.