Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 77

Devanagari script

अहंकारकृतैर्दोषैर्मायावचनपूर्वकैः । पिता माता गुरुर्भ्राता अनाथा विकलेन्द्रियाः

Transliteration

ahaṃkārakṛtairdoṣairmāyāvacanapūrvakaiḥ | pitā mātā gururbhrātā anāthā vikalendriyāḥ

Translation

Through faults born of ego, ushered in by deceitful speech, one may become father, mother, teacher, or brother—yet remains helpless, unprotected, and with senses impaired.

Word by Word

• अहंकारकृतैः: by (those) caused by egoism
• अहंकारकृतैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहंकार (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृ-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘दोषैः’ इति विशेष्यस्य

• दोषैः: by faults
• दोषैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• मायावचनपूर्वकैः: preceded by deceitful speech
• मायावचनपूर्वकैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक) + वचन (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘दोषैः’ इति विशेष्यस्य; (मायावचनैः पूर्वकैः = having deceitful words as antecedent)

• पिता: father
• पिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• माता: mother
• माता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• गुरुः: teacher
• गुरुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• भ्राता: brother
• भ्राता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अनाथाः: helpless, without protector
• अनाथाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनाथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषण—(ते)

• विकलइन्द्रियाः: with impaired senses
• विकलइन्द्रियाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकल (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषण—(ते); विकलानि इन्द्रियाणि येषाम् (sense-impaired)

Speaker

Deductive: Skanda (Kārttikeya) narrating within Āvantya Khaṇḍa’s Reva Khaṇḍa frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: figures labeled as father, mother, guru, and brother appear outwardly respectable yet surrounded by a haze of māyā; their senses dim (clouded eyes/ears), hands empty, posture collapsed—symbolizing ‘anātha’ despite social status.

Characters & Entities

• pitā
• mātā
• guru
• bhrātā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pride and deceit corrode dharma; even socially revered roles lose their dignity when rooted in falsehood, leading to degradation and helplessness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is highlighted in this verse; it is part of the Reva Khaṇḍa’s moral instruction surrounding the Revā sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the implied discipline is satya (truthfulness) and humility.