Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

गुरोश्चाप्रीतिजनने कृतघ्ने ग्रामयाजके । ब्रह्मबन्धौ च यद्दत्तं यद्दत्तं वृषलीपतौ

Transliteration

guroścāprītijanane kṛtaghne grāmayājake | brahmabandhau ca yaddattaṃ yaddattaṃ vṛṣalīpatau

Translation

Was immer man dem gibt, der den Unmut des Guru erregt, dem Undankbaren, dem Dorfpriester, der Riten nur zum Broterwerb ohne wahre Heiligkeit vollzieht, dem „Brāhmaṇa nur dem Namen nach“, oder dem, der einer niedrigen und unziemlichen Gattin verhaftet ist—solches Geben wird vergeblich.

Word by Word

• गुरोः: of the teacher
• गुरोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Conjunction)

• अप्रीतिजनने: in (one who is) a cause of displeasure
• अप्रीतिजनने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ (निषेध) + प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक) + जनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• कृतघ्ने: in/for an ungrateful person
• कृतघ्ने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृतघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• ग्रामयाजके: in/for a village priest
• ग्रामयाजके: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक) + याजक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• ब्रह्मबन्धौ: in/for a brahma-bandhu (Brahmin only by relation, not by conduct)
• ब्रह्मबन्धौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Conjunction)

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• वृषलीपतौ: in/for the husband of a śūdra-woman (vṛṣalī)
• वृषलीपतौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषली (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Deductive (Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya narrative voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa reporting a teaching)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A guru seated beneath a canopy; a disciple offers respectful dāna to a worthy brāhmaṇa while turning away from a corrupt village-priest counting coins. Symbolic motifs: a broken sacred thread for ‘brahmabandhu’, a withered garland for ingratitude.

Characters & Entities

• guru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Merit depends on reverence, gratitude, and purity of conduct; giving to those hostile to dharma or spiritual discipline loses its fruit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra is the textual setting; the māhātmya frames ethical giving as part of sacred pilgrimage life.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A guideline for dāna: choose recipients of good conduct and spiritual integrity; avoid recipients characterized by disrespect, ingratitude, or degraded living.