Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

रोगिणो लोभिनो दुष्टा यजने याजने रताः । ब्रह्मक्रिया पराः सर्वे मांडव्याः कुरुसत्तम

Transliteration

rogiṇo lobhino duṣṭā yajane yājane ratāḥ | brahmakriyā parāḥ sarve māṃḍavyāḥ kurusattama

Translation

Ô le meilleur des Kuru, les Māṇḍavya sont dits chétifs, avides et d’humeur mauvaise ; pourtant ils se plaisent au yajña et à l’office sacrificiel, et s’attachent aux rites du brahman.

Word by Word

• रोगिणः: diseased
• रोगिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रोगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; -इन्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

• लोभिनः: greedy
• लोभिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोभिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; -इन्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

• दुष्टाः: wicked
• दुष्टाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• यजने: in sacrificing
• यजने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘यजन’ = यज्ञ/याग (sacrifice)

• याजने: in officiating sacrifices
• याजने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘याजन’ = याजककर्म/यज्ञ-कारण (officiating sacrifice)

• रताः: engaged/devoted
• रताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (कृदन्त; √रम् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कृदन्त (क्त/त)

• ब्रह्मक्रियाः: Vedic rites/holy observances
• ब्रह्मक्रियाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—ब्रह्मणः क्रियाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• पराः: devoted/intent
• पराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘पर’ = तत्पर/निष्ठ (devoted) अर्थे

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• मांडव्याः: Māṇḍavyas (people of that lineage)
• मांडव्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माण्डव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; गोत्र/वंशनाम

• कुरुसत्तम: O best of the Kurus
• कुरुसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; श्रेष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—कुरुषु सत्तमः

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator addressing a king, styled ‘Kurusattama’)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kuru-sattama (a Kuru prince/king addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A yajña pavilion where priests expertly chant while shadowy motifs of illness and greed linger—showing the tension between flawless ritual and flawed temperament.

Characters & Entities

• Māṇḍavya
• Kuru
• Yajana
• Yājana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual activity without inner purity can coexist with faults; dharma demands both rite and righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is a lineage-based moral description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Engagement in yajña (yajana) and priestly officiation (yājana), i.e., core brāhmaṇa ritual functions.