Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

अश्रद्धां चैव दुर्मेधामविद्यायाः सुते उभे । श्रद्धामेधाविघातिन्यौ मर्त्येषु पर्यचोदयत्

Transliteration

aśraddhāṃ caiva durmedhāmavidyāyāḥ sute ubhe | śraddhāmedhāvighātinyau martyeṣu paryacodayat

Translation

And he dispatched into the world of mortals both Aśraddhā (Lack of Faith) and Durmedhā (Perverse Intellect), the two daughters of Avidyā—those who destroy faith and right understanding among men.

Word by Word

• अश्रद्धाम्: lack of faith
• अश्रद्धाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण)

• दुर्मेधाम्: bad intellect/dullness
• दुर्मेधाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्-मेधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अविद्यायाः: of ignorance
• अविद्यायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सुते: two daughters
• सुते: Karma (कर्म) (apposition to the two names)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन (द्विवचनरूपे ‘सुते’); ‘two daughters’

• उभे: both
• उभे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, द्विवचन; अत्र ‘सुते’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• श्रद्धामेधाविघातिन्यौ: (the two) who destroy faith and intellect
• श्रद्धामेधाविघातिन्यौ: Karma (कर्म) (qualifying the two)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रद्धा-मेधा-विघातिन् (प्रातिपदिक; श्रद्धा + मेधा + विघातिन्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘faith and intellect’ + ‘destroying’)

• मर्त्येषु: among mortals
• मर्त्येषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• पर्यचोदयत्: impelled/instigated
• पर्यचोदयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-चुद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्, परस्मैपद, तृतीयपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (Brahmā’s action described)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two shadowy feminine figures—Aśraddhā and Durmedhā—emerge from Avidyā and move among humans, dimming their devotion and clouding their intellect; japa beads slip from hands, sacred texts close.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Dhātā)
• Avidyā
• Aśraddhā
• Durmedhā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Faith (śraddhā) and clear understanding (medhā) are essential for spiritual practice; their loss becomes a principal obstacle.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is an allegorical explanation of spiritual obstruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, it warns that japa requires śraddhā and medhā; without them, practice is undermined.