Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

गुरोरप्यवलिप्तस्य कार्याकार्यमजानतः । उत्पथे वर्तमानस्य परित्यागो विधीयते

Transliteration

gurorapyavaliptasya kāryākāryamajānataḥ | utpathe vartamānasya parityāgo vidhīyate

Translation

Selbst ein Lehrer—wenn er hochmütig ist, nicht zu unterscheiden weiß, was zu tun und was zu lassen ist, und einen Irrweg beschreitet—darf rechtens verlassen werden; ein solches Verlassen gebietet das Dharma.

Word by Word

• गुरोः: of a teacher
• गुरोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अपवादार्थक (even/also)

• अवलिप्तस्य: of (one who is) arrogant
• अवलिप्तस्य: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवलिप्त (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त from अव-लिप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘arrogant/conceited’

• कार्य: what should be done
• कार्य: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृ धातोः यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (समाहारद्वन्द्वे पूर्वपद)

• अकार्य: what should not be done
• अकार्य: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (समाहारद्वन्द्वे उत्तरपद)

• अजानतः: of (one who is) not knowing
• अजानतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-जानत् (प्रातिपदिक; √ज्ञा शतृ, नञ्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले ‘not knowing’

• उत्पथे: on the wrong path
• उत्पथे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• वर्तमानस्य: of (one who is) proceeding
• वर्तमानस्य: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्तमान (प्रातिपदिक; √वृत् शानच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘being/acting’

• परित्यागः: abandonment
• परित्यागः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परित्याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• विधीयते: is prescribed
• विधीयते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Narrative context (speaker not explicit in this verse; within Sūta’s narration in the adhyāya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: a proud teacher on a raised seat, eyes narrowed, while a calm disciple turns away toward a righteous path; a symbolic forked road shows 'mārga' vs 'utpatha'.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma prioritizes right conduct over status; a guru who is arrogant and on an unrighteous path may be left.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is ethical instruction within the Tīrthamāhātmya flow; the specific tīrtha is not named in this single śloka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed here; it states a dharmic rule regarding abandoning an unfit teacher.