Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

उत्तमेनेह वर्णेन द्रव्यलोभादिना नृप । नाधमस्य क्वचित्कार्यं तीर्थयात्रादिसेवनम्

Transliteration

uttameneha varṇena dravyalobhādinā nṛpa | nādhamasya kvacitkāryaṃ tīrthayātrādisevanam

Translation

O king, pilgrimage and similar observances should be undertaken here by a person of noble disposition—not by one of base nature driven by greed for wealth and the like; for such a person, service to a tīrtha is not proper anywhere.

Word by Word

• उत्तमेन: by the best
• उत्तमेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental ‘by/with the best’

• इह: here
• इह: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘here/in this matter’

• वर्णेन: by (one’s) varṇa; class
• वर्णेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental; ‘by/with (one’s) class/character’

• द्रव्यलोभादिना: with greed for wealth and the like
• द्रव्यलोभादिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्यलोभ-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; द्रव्य + लोभ + आदि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental; ‘with greed for wealth etc.’

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; address

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• अधमस्य: of the inferior person
• अधमस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘of the base/low person’

• क्वचित्: ever; anywhere
• क्वचित्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘ever/anywhere’

• कार्यम्: a duty; something to be done
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; from √कृ + यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be done/fit to be done’ (as noun)

• तीर्थयात्रादिसेवनम्: practice of pilgrimage etc.
• तीर्थयात्रादिसेवनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थयात्रा-आदि-सेवन (प्रातिपदिक; तीर्थ + यात्रा + आदि + सेवन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; appositional to ‘कार्यम्’

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: तīrtha-sevā-adhikāra (eligibility for pilgrimage service)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sage admonishes: a greedy traveler with money-bag is turned away from a tīrtha gate, while a humble pilgrim is welcomed; the contrast illustrates adhikāra.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha practice is validated by inner motive; greed and low intent corrupt religious acts, while noble intention makes pilgrimage meaningful.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular site; it provides a moral qualification for tīrtha-sevā in general.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A qualification rule: pilgrimage and allied rites should not be pursued with dravya-lobha (greed for wealth) or by adhamas (base-minded persons).