Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

अविद्यांतर्गतैर्यज्ञकर्मभिर्न प्रयोजनम् । मम हिंसात्मकैरस्ति निगमोक्तैरचेतनैः

Transliteration

avidyāṃtargatairyajñakarmabhirna prayojanam | mama hiṃsātmakairasti nigamoktairacetanaiḥ

Translation

അവിദ്യയുടെ ആവരണത്തിൽ കുടുങ്ങിയ യാഗകർമ്മങ്ങളിൽ എനിക്ക് യാതൊരു പ്രയോജനവും ഇല്ല—നിഗമോക്തമായ, അചേതനമായ, യന്ത്രവത്തായ ഹിംസാത്മക ക്രിയകളിലും ഇല്ല.

Word by Word

• अविद्यांतर्गतैः: by those included within ignorance
• अविद्यांतर्गतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर्गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — अविद्यायाम् अन्तर्गताः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• यज्ञकर्मभिः: by sacrificial acts
• यज्ञकर्मभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — यज्ञस्य कर्माणि (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• प्रयोजनम्: purpose/benefit
• प्रयोजनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा — ‘(there is) no purpose’

• मम: for me / of me
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• हिंसात्मकैः: by violent (harmful)
• हिंसात्मकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हिंसा (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — हिंसाम् आत्मा यस्य/येषाम् (तत्पुरुष-भाव)

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• निगमोक्तैः: as stated in the Veda
• निगमोक्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निगम (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — निगमेन उक्ताः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• अचेतनैः: by insentient (unconscious)
• अचेतनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

Speaker

Unspecified narrator in dialogue (first-person; expressing a critique of violent ritualism)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm ascetic/teacher figure speaks firmly, rejecting ignorant, violent, mechanical yajña; behind him, ritual implements appear muted, as if demoted in importance.

Characters & Entities

• Nigama (Veda)
• yajña-karman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual without wisdom and compassion becomes spiritually unproductive; true dharma requires inner awareness beyond mere performance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; this is a doctrinal statement on the limits of certain yajña-karmas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It does not prescribe a rite; it rejects reliance on violent, mechanically performed sacrifices as spiritually purposeless.