Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

अथान्यजनसामान्यैर्गुरुभिर्नीतिकोविदैः । नृणां कृतोपदेशानां सिद्धिर्भवति कीदृशी

Transliteration

athānyajanasāmānyairgurubhirnītikovidaiḥ | nṛṇāṃ kṛtopadeśānāṃ siddhirbhavati kīdṛśī

Translation

എന്നാൽ സാധാരണജനങ്ങളായ, ലോകനീതിയിൽ പ്രാവീണ്യമുള്ള ഗുരുക്കന്മാർ ഉപദേശം നൽകിയാൽ—അപ്പോൾ എങ്ങനെയുള്ള സിദ്ധി ലഭിക്കും?

Word by Word

• अथ: now/then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भ/अनन्तरार्थक (now/then)

• अन्य: other
• अन्य: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• जन: people
• जन: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग (मध्यपद)

• सामान्यैः: by ordinary (common)
• सामान्यैः: Karana (Instrument/Agentive-instr./करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सामान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘गुरुभिः’ विशेषण; समासः—अन्य-जन-सामान्य (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘common among other people’)

• गुरुभिः: by teachers
• गुरुभिः: Karana (Instrument/Agentive-instr./करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• नीति: ethics/policy
• नीति: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• कोविदैः: by those skilled (in ethics)
• कोविदैः: Karana (Instrument/Agentive-instr./करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोविद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘गुरुभिः’ विशेषण; समासः—नीति-कोविद (तत्पुरुष: ‘skilled in ethics’)

• नृणाम्: of men/people
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• कृत: done/given
• कृत: Sambandha (Compound-member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past Passive Participle), समासाङ्ग (पूर्वपद)

• उपदेशानाम्: of those who have received instruction
• उपदेशानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—कृत-उपदेश (समासवृत्ति: ‘given instruction’)

• सिद्धिः: success/accomplishment
• सिद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भवति: becomes/is
• भवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कीदृशी: of what kind?
• कीदृशी: Karta (Predicate-adjective/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कीदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘सिद्धिः’ विशेषण/प्रश्नवाचक

Speaker

Ṛṣis (sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages, with thoughtful expressions, pose a probing question; in the background, two contrasting figures: a brahmavādin guru radiating calm, and a worldly-wise instructor gesturing busily—highlighting the difference between nīti and tattva.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis
• Guru
• Nīti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly competence alone may not yield the highest spiritual siddhi; the sages probe the need for deeper authority and faith.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned; the verse is part of a doctrinal inquiry about teaching and attainment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it frames a question about the efficacy of instruction from different kinds of teachers.