Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

कृतधीभ्योऽपि कर्तारः कर्तृभ्यो ब्रह्मतत्पराः । न तेभ्योऽभ्यधिकः कश्चित्त्रिषु लोकेषु भारत

Transliteration

kṛtadhībhyo'pi kartāraḥ kartṛbhyo brahmatatparāḥ | na tebhyo'bhyadhikaḥ kaścittriṣu lokeṣu bhārata

Translation

കൃതധീകളേക്കാൾ ശ്രേഷ്ഠർ കർത്താക്കൾ—ധർമ്മത്തെ കര്‍മ്മമായി നടപ്പാക്കുന്നവർ; കർത്താക്കളേക്കാൾ ശ്രേഷ്ഠർ ബ്രഹ്മതത്പരർ. ഹേ ഭാരതാ! ത്രിലോകങ്ങളിൽ അവരെക്കാൾ മേലുള്ളവർ ആരുമില്ല.

Word by Word

• कृतधीभ्यः: than those of perfected intellect
• कृतधीभ्यः: Apadana (Comparison-source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, कृ (धातु) क्त) + dhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘perfected’ + ‘intellect’)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle: ‘even/also’)

• कर्तारः: doers/agents
• कर्तारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kartar (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• कर्तृभ्यः: than the doers
• कर्तृभ्यः: Apadana (Comparison-source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन

• ब्रह्मतत्पराः: devoted to Brahman
• ब्रह्मतत्पराः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + tatpara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विषय-तत्पुरुष: ‘intent on Brahman’)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• तेभ्यः: than them
• तेभ्यः: Apadana (Comparison-source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अभ्यधिकः: superior
• अभ्यधिकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhyadhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (of कश्चित्)

• कश्चित्: anyone
• कश्चित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + cit (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (‘someone/anyone’)

• त्रिषु: in the three
• त्रिषु: Adhikarana (Location/Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण (of लोकेषु)

• लोकेषु: worlds
• लोकेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• भारत: O Bhārata
• भारत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhārata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Vyāsa

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata (Janamejaya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A climactic teaching scene: Vyāsa points to two archetypes—one engaged in righteous action (dharma-kartā) and one seated in deep absorption (brahma-tatpara), with a vast cosmic backdrop suggesting ‘three worlds’.

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Bhārata (address to Yudhiṣṭhira)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest human ideal is unwavering dedication to Brahman, surpassing mere knowledge and even righteous activity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named; the verse presents a universal teaching embedded in Dharmāraṇya’s dharma discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it elevates brahma-tatparatā (Brahman-centered devotion/absorption) as the supreme orientation.