Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

दूरतोऽसौ द्विजस्त्याज्य आत्मनः श्रेय इच्छता । हीनाङ्गानतिरिक्ताङ्गान् येषां पूर्वापरं न हि

Transliteration

dūrato'sau dvijastyājya ātmanaḥ śreya icchatā | hīnāṅgānatiriktāṅgān yeṣāṃ pūrvāparaṃ na hi

Translation

സ്വന്തം ശ്രേയസ് ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നവൻ അത്തരം ‘ദ്വിജനെ’ ദൂരത്തുനിന്നുതന്നെ ഒഴിവാക്കണം—അംഗഹീനരോ അസാധാരണ/അധിക അംഗങ്ങളുള്ളവരോ, കൂടാതെ ക്രമ-ശിഷ്ടാചാരബോധമില്ലാത്തവരോ.

Word by Word

• दूरतः: from afar
• दूरतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दूरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• असौ: that (person)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन / Pronoun, nominative singular

• द्विजः: a twice-born (Brāhmaṇa etc.)
• द्विजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन / Masculine, nominative singular

• त्याज्यः: to be avoided
• त्याज्यः: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्यज् (धातु) → त्याज्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भाव्य/कर्तव्यतार्थक कृदन्त (यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन / Gerundive (yat), masculine, nominative singular

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन / Masculine, genitive singular

• श्रेयः: welfare, the good
• श्रेयः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन / Neuter, accusative singular

• इच्छता: by one desiring
• इच्छता: Karta (Agent in instrumental/कर्ता-करणभाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष् (धातु) → इच्छत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन / Present participle (śatṛ), masculine, instrumental singular

• हीन: deficient
• हीन: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपदत्वेन) / Masculine, accusative plural (as compound member)

• अङ्गान्: limbs/parts
• अङ्गान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन / Neuter, accusative plural

• अतिरिक्त: excessive, superfluous
• अतिरिक्त: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + रिक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (समासपूर्वपदत्वेन) / Masculine, accusative plural (as compound member)

• अङ्गान्: limbs/parts
• अङ्गान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन / Neuter, accusative plural

• येषाम्: of whom/whose
• येषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन / Pronoun, genitive plural

• पूर्व: former, earlier
• पूर्व: Viśeṣya component (compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपदत्वेन) / Neuter, nominative/accusative singular (as compound member)

• अपरम्: latter, subsequent
• अपरम्: Karma/Pratipādya (Object/Complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन / Neuter, nominative/accusative singular

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

Speaker

Skanda (contextual attribution within Revā Khaṇḍa narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim or patron stands at a distance, respectfully declining association with an undisciplined would-be officiant; the scene emphasizes restraint and discernment rather than hostility.

Characters & Entities

• dvija

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Discernment in religious giving protects one’s spiritual merit; not every claimant is a fit recipient.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction is embedded in the Someshvara-focused Revā Khaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

To avoid certain categories of persons when selecting participants/recipients for sacred rites.