Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 80

Devanagari script

बाल उवाच । अशुचिश्च शुचिश्चापि देवभक्तो द्विधा स्मृतः । कर्मणा मनसा वाचा तद्रतो भक्त उच्यते

Transliteration

bāla uvāca | aśuciśca śuciścāpi devabhakto dvidhā smṛtaḥ | karmaṇā manasā vācā tadrato bhakta ucyate

Translation

Der Knabe sprach: Ein Verehrer der Gottheit gilt als zweierlei—unrein und rein. Wer Ihm durch Tat, Geist und Wort hingegeben ist, wird ein wahrer Bhakta genannt.

Word by Word

• बालः: Bāla (the speaker)
• बालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अशुचिः: impure
• अशुचिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• शुचिः: pure
• शुचिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक अव्यय (also/even)

• देवभक्तः: a devotee of God
• देवभक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवस्य भक्तः)

• द्विधा: in two ways
• द्विधा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्विधा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• स्मृतः: is regarded/remembered
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थ (is considered)

• कर्मणा: by action
• कर्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• मनसा: by mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वाचा: by speech
• वाचा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तद्रतः: devoted to that (i.e., to God)
• तद्रतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (तस्मिन् रतः = devoted to that)

• भक्तः: a devotee
• भक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (is called)

Speaker

Bāla (the boy)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A youthful speaker (bāla) instructs listeners on what constitutes a true devotee: the devotee shown with composed posture, clean attire, and gestures indicating body–mind–speech harmony (añjali, calm gaze, restrained speech).

Characters & Entities

• Deva (generic deity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion is validated by integrated sincerity—actions, thoughts, and words aligned with worship—along with purity of conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; the verse defines the quality of devotion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An implicit discipline: worship should be supported by purity and by alignment of deed, mind, and speech.