Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

उत्तमेनेह वर्णेन द्रव्यलोभादिना नृप । नाधमस्य क्वचित्कार्यं तीर्थयात्रादिसेवनम्

Transliteration

uttameneha varṇena dravyalobhādinā nṛpa | nādhamasya kvacitkāryaṃ tīrthayātrādisevanam

Translation

Ô roi, le pèlerinage et les observances semblables doivent être entrepris ici par un homme de noble disposition, non par celui de nature basse, mû par la convoitise des biens et autres. Pour un tel être, le service du tīrtha n’est convenable nulle part.

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).