Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

उपनीय च वै शिष्यं वेदमध्यापयेद्द्विजः । सकल्पं सरहस्यं च तमाचार्यं विदु्र्बुधाः

Transliteration

upanīya ca vai śiṣyaṃ vedamadhyāpayeddvijaḥ | sakalpaṃ sarahasyaṃ ca tamācāryaṃ vidu्rbudhāḥ

Translation

ശിഷ്യനെ ഉപനയനം ചെയ്ത്, വേദം കല്പസഹിതവും രഹസ്യസഹിതവും പഠിപ്പിക്കുന്ന ദ്വിജനെയാണ് ജ്ഞാനികൾ ‘ആചാര്യൻ’ എന്നു അറിയുന്നത്.

Word by Word

• upanīya: having initiated/brought near
• upanīya: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier of main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√nī (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), उपसर्गः उप-; अर्थः ‘having brought/initiated’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/खलु-अर्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• śiṣyam: disciple
• śiṣyam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• vedam: the Veda
• vedam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• adhyāpayet: should teach
• adhyāpayet: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: adhi-√i (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/optative sense in injunction), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative) ‘cause to study/teach’

• dvijaḥ: a twice-born (Brahmin)
• dvijaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• sa-kalpam: together with the kalpa (ritual rules)
• sa-kalpam: Karma (Qualifier of ‘vedaṃ’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपपद) + kalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘with kalpa (ritual procedure)’

• sa-rahasyam: together with the esoteric (teachings)
• sa-rahasyam: Karma (Qualifier of ‘vedaṃ’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (अव्यय/उपपद) + rahasya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘with secret/esoteric meaning’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object of ‘viduḥ’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ācāryam: (as) an ācārya/teacher
• ācāryam: Karma (Object-complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ācārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (predicate accusative with ‘viduḥ’)

• viduḥ: know/consider
• viduḥ: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• budhāḥ: the wise (people)
• budhāḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene gurukula setting in Kāśī: a dvija ācārya performs initiation rites and then teaches a seated śiṣya palm-leaf Veda, with ritual implements and a subtle aura indicating ‘rahasya’ instruction.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Veda
• Upanayana (implied)
• Kāśī (implied context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A true teacher transmits both correct practice (kalpa) and realized meaning (rahasya), not mere words.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

In the Kāśī Khaṇḍa setting, the verse aligns Kāśī with authentic lineage-based instruction and dharmic education.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Upanayana/bringing the student under discipline and then teaching the Veda along with ritual method and inner teaching.