Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

बटुरुवाच । विद्यार्थिनमनुप्राप्तं विद्धि मां द्विजसत्तम । ददासि यदि मे विद्यां ततः स्थास्यामि ते गृहे

Transliteration

baṭuruvāca | vidyārthinamanuprāptaṃ viddhi māṃ dvijasattama | dadāsi yadi me vidyāṃ tataḥ sthāsyāmi te gṛhe

Translation

ബടു പറഞ്ഞു—ഹേ ദ്വിജശ്രേഷ്ഠാ, എന്നെ വിദ്യ തേടി വന്ന വിദ്യാർത്ഥിയായി അറിയുക. നിങ്ങൾ എനിക്ക് വിദ്യ ദാനം ചെയ്താൽ, ഞാൻ നിങ്ങളുടെ ഗൃഹത്തിൽ വസിക്കും.

Word by Word

• बटुः: the student (brahmacārin)
• बटुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बटु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• विद्यार्थिनम्: a seeker of knowledge
• विद्यार्थिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या-अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक; अर्थिन्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विद्यायाः अर्थी)

• अनुप्राप्तम्: having come, arrived
• अनुप्राप्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु-प्राप् (धातु)
• Form: कृत्-प्रत्ययः क्त (भूतकर्मणि/भूतकालिक), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘विद्यार्थिनम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• विद्धि: know (recognize)
• विद्धि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• द्विजसत्तम: O best of twice-born
• द्विजसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानां सत्तमः)

• ददासि: you give
• ददासि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-अव्ययम् (conditional particle)

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th) / षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; अत्र दातृ-सम्प्रदानार्थे चतुर्थी (to me)

• विद्याम्: knowledge
• विद्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम् (consequential adverb)

• स्थास्यामि: I will stay
• स्थास्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• गृहे: in (your) house
• गृहे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

Speaker

Baṭu (the disguised Maheśvara/Śiva as a brahmacārin)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A young brahmacārin stands with folded hands before a seated brāhmaṇa teacher, requesting instruction and offering to dwell in the teacher’s house; simple āśrama setting with palm-leaf manuscripts.

Characters & Entities

• Baṭu (brahmacārin)
• Brāhmaṇa (teacher)
• Vidyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True learning is sought with commitment—willingness to live under guidance and discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā Khaṇḍa’s setting honors the Narmadā-side āśrama tradition as a purifier and teacher of dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, brahmacarya-style residence with a teacher as part of receiving vidyā.