Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

अस्मिन्गोत्रे भवा विप्रा दुष्टाः कुटिलगामिनः । धनिनो धर्मनिष्ठाश्च वेदवेदांगपारगाः

Transliteration

asmingotre bhavā viprā duṣṭāḥ kuṭilagāminaḥ | dhanino dharmaniṣṭhāśca vedavedāṃgapāragāḥ

Translation

ഈ ഗോത്രത്തിൽ ചില വിപ്രർ ദുഷ്ടരും കപടാചാരികളുമായും കാണപ്പെടുന്നു; അതുപോലെ ചിലർ ധനവാന്മാരായി ധർമ്മനിഷ്ഠരായി വേദ-വേദാംഗങ്ങളിൽ പാരംഗതരുമായും ഉണ്ടാകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• गोत्रे: in the gotra/lineage
• गोत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gotra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• भवाः: born (therein)
• भवाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘विप्राः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण (भव = उत्पन्न)

• विप्राः: Brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• दुष्टाः: wicked
• दुष्टाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (√दुष्/दुष् ‘to be bad’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• कुटिलगामिनः: crooked-going/devious
• कुटिलगामिनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kuṭila + gāmin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (कुटिलं गच्छन्ति/कुटिलमार्गगामिनः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• धनिनः: wealthy
• धनिनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhanin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• धर्मनिष्ठाः: steadfast in dharma
• धर्मनिष्ठाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma + niṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (धर्मे निष्ठा येषाम्/धर्मे निष्ठाः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• वेदवेदाङ्गपारगाः: versed in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas
• वेदवेदाङ्गपारगाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda + vedāṅga + pāra-ga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व (वेद + वेदाङ्ग) ततः तत्पुरुष (तयोः पारगाः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator addressing a king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Contrasting figures within one lineage: one brāhmaṇa with sharp, furtive expression and crooked posture; another serene, dharma-steady scholar; symbols of wealth and Vedic learning appear together to show tension between knowledge and character.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra
• Veda
• Vedāṅga
• Gotra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Lineage and learning do not automatically guarantee virtue; dharma requires integrity of conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse is an ethical observation within a lineage discussion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it references Veda/Vedāṅga mastery and dharma-niṣṭhā as ideals.