Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

गुरुशुश्रूषया विद्या पुष्कलेन धनेन वा । अथवा विद्यया विद्या भवतीह फलप्रदा

Transliteration

guruśuśrūṣayā vidyā puṣkalena dhanena vā | athavā vidyayā vidyā bhavatīha phalapradā

Translation

La vidyā s’acquiert par le service dévoué au guru, ou par une richesse abondante ; ou encore, la vidyā s’obtient par la vidyā elle-même : ainsi, en ce monde, elle porte des fruits.

Word by Word

• गुरुशुश्रूषया: by service to the teacher
• गुरुशुश्रूषया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु-शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गुरोः शुश्रूषा)

• विद्या: knowledge
• विद्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पुष्कलेन: abundant
• पुष्कलेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘धनेन’ इति विशेषणम्

• धनेन: by wealth
• धनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्ययम् (disjunctive particle)

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्ययम् (alternative particle)

• विद्यया: by knowledge
• विद्यया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• विद्या: knowledge
• विद्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भवति: becomes
• भवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• इह: here (in this world)
• इह: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्ययम् (adverb of place)

• फलप्रदा: fruit-giving, beneficial
• फलप्रदा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: फल-प्रदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (फलम् प्रददाति) ; ‘विद्या’ इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Brāhmaṇa (teacher)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Teacher instructs on the means of acquiring knowledge: service, resources, and self-propelling study; symbolic elements show a broom/water-pot for service, coins for wealth, and manuscripts for study.

Characters & Entities

• Guru
• Vidyā
• Dhana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The most dhārmic way to receive learning is guru-sevā; knowledge bears fruit when pursued through right means.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the Revā Khaṇḍa frames the teaching within the sanctity of Narmadā-side āśramas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Guru-śuśrūṣā (service to the teacher) is prescribed as the principal ‘method’ for attaining vidyā.