Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

अश्रद्दधानाः पुरुषा मूर्खा दम्भविवर्धिताः । न सिध्यन्ति दुरात्मानः कुदृष्टान्तार्थकीर्तनाः

Transliteration

aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā mūrkhā dambhavivardhitāḥ | na sidhyanti durātmānaḥ kudṛṣṭāntārthakīrtanāḥ

Translation

ശ്രദ്ധയില്ലാത്ത, മൂഢരായ, ദംഭം വളർത്തിയ മനുഷ്യർ സിദ്ധി പ്രാപിക്കുകയില്ല. വികൃത ദൃഷ്ടാന്തങ്ങളും വളഞ്ഞ അർത്ഥങ്ങളും ഉച്ചരിക്കുന്ന ദുഷ്ടമനസ്സുകാർ ഒരിക്കലും ആത്മസാഫല്യം നേടുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• अश्रद्दधानाः: faithless
• अश्रद्दधानाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- (निषेध) + श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक) + धा (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; वर्तमानकाले कृदन्तः (present participle, आत्मनेपद-प्रायः) ‘having no faith’

• पुरुषाः: men, persons
• पुरुषाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• मूर्खाः: foolish
• मूर्खाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पुरुषाः)

• दम्भविवर्धिताः: inflated by hypocrisy
• दम्भविवर्धिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दम्भ (प्रातिपदिक) + विवर्धित (वृध् धातु, णिच् + क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः—दम्भेन विवर्धिताः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष), भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• सिध्यन्ति: succeed, attain fulfillment
• सिध्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सिध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• दुरात्मानः: evil-souled ones
• दुरात्मानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः—दुष्ट आत्मा यस्य (कर्मधारयः), कर्तृपदम् (सिध्यन्ति)

• कुदृष्टान्तार्थकीर्तनाः: those who cite the meanings of bad examples (false analogies)
• कुदृष्टान्तार्थकीर्तनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कु- (दुष्टार्थक-पूर्वपद) + दृष्टान्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + कीर्तन (कृ धातु, ल्युट्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; समासः—कुदृष्टान्तानाम् अर्थस्य कीर्तनाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; बहुपद-समास), विशेषणम् (दुरात्मानः)

Speaker

Nandī (deduced from immediate context of Nandīgītā in this adhyāya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (general)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher points to a lamp of śraddhā; on the other side, a group of debaters twist a scripture scroll into knots; their path ends at a closed gate labeled ‘siddhi’.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Without śraddhā (faith) and sincerity, spiritual practice does not bear fruit; twisting teachings with false reasoning blocks attainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is the Revā (Narmadā) sacred region in the Revā Khaṇḍa, where right conduct is emphasized for pilgrims.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; the verse sets an ethical prerequisite—faithful, non-hypocritical conduct and correct understanding.