Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

ये गुणाः साधिताः पूर्वं शीलाचारश्रुतादिभिः । सद्यस्ते नाशमायांति कौटिल्य पथगामिनः

Transliteration

ye guṇāḥ sādhitāḥ pūrvaṃ śīlācāraśrutādibhiḥ | sadyaste nāśamāyāṃti kauṭilya pathagāminaḥ

Translation

ശീലം, സദാചാരം, ശ്രവണ-വിദ്യ മുതലായവകൊണ്ട് മുമ്പ് സമ്പാദിച്ച ഗുണങ്ങൾ, കപടപഥം നടക്കുന്നവനിൽ ഉടൻ തന്നെ നശിച്ചുപോകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• ये: which (those)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेष्य-संबन्धः

• गुणाः: qualities, virtues
• गुणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• साधिताः: accomplished, cultivated
• साधिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sādh (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे ‘सिद्धाः/सम्पादिताः’

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• शीलाचारश्रुतादिभिः: by (means of) conduct, right practice, learning, etc.
• शीलाचारश्रुतादिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śīla + ācāra + śruta + ādi (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष; ‘शील-आचार-श्रुत-आदि’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करणवाचक

• सद्यः: immediately
• सद्यः: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadyaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• ते: they (those)
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘गुणाः’ इत्यस्य पुनरुक्त-सूचक

• नाशम्: destruction, ruin
• नाशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; गत्यर्थे कर्म

• आयान्ति: go/come to, reach
• आयान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (धातु) उपसर्गः ā-
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• कौटिल्य: O Kauṭilya
• कौटिल्य: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kauṭilya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; संबोधन

• पथगामिनः: those who follow the path
• पथगामिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patha + √gam (धातु) + in (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष; ‘पथं गच्छन्ति’); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तृवाचक

Speaker

Dvijakumārakau (contextual continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An allegorical scene: a person carrying a pot of ‘earned virtues’ (śīla-ācāra-śruta) walks onto a crooked, thorny path; the pot cracks and the contents spill away while a straight, sunlit path remains behind.

Characters & Entities

• Guṇāḥ (virtues)
• Śīla
• Ācāra
• Śruta
• Kauṭilya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Deceit destroys accumulated virtue; dharma is preserved by integrity in conduct and learning.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No location is praised in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an ethical principle.