Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

अथान्यजनसामान्यैर्गुरुभिर्नीतिकोविदैः । नृणां कृतोपदेशानां सिद्धिर्भवति कीदृशी

Transliteration

athānyajanasāmānyairgurubhirnītikovidaiḥ | nṛṇāṃ kṛtopadeśānāṃ siddhirbhavati kīdṛśī

Translation

Mais lorsque l’enseignement est donné aux hommes par des gurus qui ne sont que des gens ordinaires, bien qu’habiles dans la conduite du monde, quel genre d’accomplissement en résulte alors ?

Word by Word

• अथ: now/then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भ/अनन्तरार्थक (now/then)

• अन्य: other
• अन्य: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• जन: people
• जन: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग (मध्यपद)

• सामान्यैः: by ordinary (common)
• सामान्यैः: Karana (Instrument/Agentive-instr./करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सामान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘गुरुभिः’ विशेषण; समासः—अन्य-जन-सामान्य (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘common among other people’)

• गुरुभिः: by teachers
• गुरुभिः: Karana (Instrument/Agentive-instr./करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• नीति: ethics/policy
• नीति: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• कोविदैः: by those skilled (in ethics)
• कोविदैः: Karana (Instrument/Agentive-instr./करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोविद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘गुरुभिः’ विशेषण; समासः—नीति-कोविद (तत्पुरुष: ‘skilled in ethics’)

• नृणाम्: of men/people
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• कृत: done/given
• कृत: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past Passive Participle), समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• उपदेशानाम्: of those who have received instruction
• उपदेशानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—कृत-उपदेश (समासवृत्ति: ‘given instruction’)

• सिद्धिः: success/accomplishment
• सिद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भवति: becomes/is
• भवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कीदृशी: of what kind?
• कीदृशी: Karta (Predicate-adjective/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘सिद्धिः’ विशेषण/प्रश्नवाचक

Speaker

Ṛṣis (sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages, with thoughtful expressions, pose a probing question; in the background, two contrasting figures: a brahmavādin guru radiating calm, and a worldly-wise instructor gesturing busily—highlighting the difference between nīti and tattva.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis
• Guru
• Nīti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly competence alone may not yield the highest spiritual siddhi; the sages probe the need for deeper authority and faith.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned; the verse is part of a doctrinal inquiry about teaching and attainment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it frames a question about the efficacy of instruction from different kinds of teachers.