Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

दत्तात्रेयं महात्मानं योगिप्रवरमुत्तमम् । समागम्य प्रणम्यासौ दुराचारोऽभ्यभाषत

Transliteration

dattātreyaṃ mahātmānaṃ yogipravaramuttamam | samāgamya praṇamyāsau durācāro'bhyabhāṣata

Translation

Er trat an den großherzigen Dattātreya heran, den erhabensten und höchsten unter den Yogins; Durācāra verneigte sich ehrfürchtig und sprach dann.

Word by Word

• दत्तात्रेयम्: Dattatreya
• दत्तात्रेयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दत्तात्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; Proper noun

• महात्मानम्: great-souled
• महात्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying दत्तात्रेयम्)

• योगि-प्रवरम्: best among yogis
• योगि-प्रवरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योगिन् + प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (योगिनां प्रवरः) विशेषण

• उत्तमम्: supreme
• उत्तमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• समागम्य: having approached
• समागम्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + आ + गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• असौ: that man (he)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/असौ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दुराचारः: the wicked man
• दुराचारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुराचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अभ्यभाषत: spoke (addressed)
• अभ्यभाषत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + भाष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Setukhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra / Setutīrtha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/śrotṛs (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A disheveled man named Durācāra approaches the serene Dattātreya seated in yogic composure; he bows low, hands folded, beginning a confession.

Characters & Entities

• Dattātreya
• Durācāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even one burdened by wrongdoing begins transformation through humility and reverence toward a realized sage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is Setukṣetra (Setukhaṇḍa), leading into the praise of Dhanuṣkoṭi and its sacred waters.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly in this verse; it sets up a teaching dialogue that soon highlights tīrtha-snānā (holy bathing).