Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 114

Devanagari script

एकां शाखां सकल्पां च षड्भिरंगैरधीत्य च । षट्कर्मनिरतो विप्रः श्रोत्रियोनाम धर्मवित्

Transliteration

ekāṃ śākhāṃ sakalpāṃ ca ṣaḍbhiraṃgairadhītya ca | ṣaṭkarmanirato vipraḥ śrotriyonāma dharmavit

Translation

ഒരു വേദശാഖയെ കല്പസഹിതവും ഷഡംഗങ്ങളോടും കൂടി അധ്യയനം ചെയ്ത്, ഷട്കർമങ്ങളിൽ നിരതനായിരിക്കുന്ന വിപ്രൻ ‘ശ്രോത്രിയൻ’—ധർമ്മവിദ്—എന്നു വിളിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• एकाम्: one
• एकाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शाखाम्: Vedic branch (śākhā)
• शाखाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सकल्पाम्: together with the Kalpa (auxiliary)
• सकल्पाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स- (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कल्पेन सह)

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

• षड्भिः: with six
• षड्भिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; संख्याशब्द

• अङ्गैः: limbs/auxiliaries (vedāṅgas)
• अङ्गैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• अधीत्य: having studied
• अधीत्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-√इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्ययभाव; धातुः—इ (अध्ययनार्थे), उपसर्गः—अधि; ‘having studied’

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

• षट्कर्मनिरतः: engaged in the six duties
• षट्कर्मनिरतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट् (संख्या) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + निरत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (षट्कर्मसु निरतः)

• विप्रः: a learned brāhmaṇa
• विप्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• श्रोत्रियः: a śrotriya (Veda-trained)
• श्रोत्रियः: Predicate nominative (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रोत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नाम: by name/indeed
• नाम: Discourse marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नाम-शब्दः—अव्यय, ‘indeed/by name’ (emphatic/quotative)

• धर्मवित्: knower of dharma
• धर्मवित्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (प्रातिपदिक, ‘knower’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (धर्मं वेत्ति)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), contextually within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A learned vipra performing daily rites: sandhyā at riverbank, then teaching; symbolic depiction of six vedāṅgas as scrolls or emblems around him; a small yajña-kuṇḍa nearby.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Scriptural learning must be integrated with disciplined dharma-practice; a śrotriya is both learned and duty-bound.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is referenced.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It references ṣaṭkarma (the six duties) as an ongoing religious discipline, though not detailing each in this verse.