Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

द्विजान् सुकृत्पणान् देवः कुष्ठी भूत्वा ययाच ह । श्राद्धकाले तु सम्प्राप्ते रक्तगन्धानुलेपनः

Transliteration

dvijān sukṛtpaṇān devaḥ kuṣṭhī bhūtvā yayāca ha | śrāddhakāle tu samprāpte raktagandhānulepanaḥ

Translation

ഭഗവാൻ ഒരു കുഷ്ഠരോഗിയുടെ രൂപം ധരിച്ച് പുണ്യവാന്മാരായ കച്ചവടക്കാരായ ബ്രാഹ്മണരോട് ഭിക്ഷ യാചിച്ചു. ശ്രാദ്ധസമയം വന്നപ്പോൾ, അദ്ദേഹം ചുവന്ന ചന്ദനം പൂശിയവനായി അവിടെ എത്തി.

Word by Word

• द्विजान्: Brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• सुकृत्पणान्: virtuous (pious)
• सुकृत्पणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुकृत्-पण (प्रातिपदिक; सुकृत् + पण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘सुकृत्’ (पुण्य) + ‘पण’ (व्यवहार/व्यापार) → पुण्य-व्यवहारिणः/पुण्यशीलाः (as epithet)

• देवः: the god (Lord)
• देवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कुष्ठी: leprous
• कुष्ठी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुष्ठिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कुष्ठरोगयुक्तः’

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive); ‘having become’

• ययाच: begged
• ययाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: याच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed/for emphasis
• ह: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), कथन-प्रत्यय/स्मरणार्थक

• श्राद्धकाले: at the time of śrāddha
• श्राद्धकाले: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध-काल (प्रातिपदिक; श्राद्ध + काल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘श्राद्धस्य काले’

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse connector (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधान/विरोधार्थक (but/indeed)

• सम्प्राप्ते: when (it) had arrived
• सम्प्राप्ते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (काले) ‘सम्प्राप्ते’ = when (it) had arrived

• रक्तगन्धानुलेपनः: smeared with a blood-like stench
• रक्तगन्धानुलेपनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त-गन्ध-अनुलेपन (प्रातिपदिक; रक्त + गन्ध + अनुलेपन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; ‘रक्तगन्धेन अनुलेपनं यस्य’ (as epithet)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā/Narmadā-taṭa (episode setting)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Lord appears as a leper beggar at śrāddha-time, oddly smeared with red fragrant paste, approaching brāhmaṇa householders known for ‘merit-trading’ piety.

Characters & Entities

• Deva (Lord)
• Dvija/Brāhmaṇa
• Śrāddha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Lord tests inner sincerity: charity should arise from compassion and dharma, not from bargaining for merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā (Narmadā) region forms the narrative setting; the verse focuses on a moral test rather than naming a tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śrāddha-kāla is referenced, indicating the ritual time associated with offerings for ancestors and feeding Brāhmaṇas.