Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

अकुलीनो वेदबाह्यो भूतप्रेतपिशाचराट् । तस्मान्नाकारितो भद्रे यज्ञार्थं चारुभाषिणि

Transliteration

akulīno vedabāhyo bhūtapretapiśācarāṭ | tasmānnākārito bhadre yajñārthaṃ cārubhāṣiṇi

Translation

“അവൻ കുലഹീനൻ, വേദമാർഗ്ഗത്തിന് പുറത്തുള്ളവൻ, ഭൂത-പ്രേത-പിശാചുകളുടെ അധിപതി; അതിനാൽ, ഹേ ഭദ്രേ, മധുരഭാഷിണീ, യജ്ഞാർത്ഥം അവനെ ക്ഷണിച്ചിട്ടില്ല।”

Word by Word

• अकुलीनः: of no noble lineage
• अकुलीनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + कुलीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वेदबाह्यः: outside Vedic tradition
• वेदबाह्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद + बाह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—वेदात् बाह्यः (outside the Veda)

• भूतप्रेतपिशाचराट्: king/leader of bhūtas, pretas, and piśācas
• भूतप्रेतपिशाचराट्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + प्रेत + पिशाच + राट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—भूत-प्रेत-पिशाचानां राट् (king/leader)

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Reason/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• आकारितः: was invited
• आकारितः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+√कृ (धातु) → आकारित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (was invited/made to do)

• भद्रे: O good lady
• भद्रे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यज्ञार्थम्: for the sacrifice
• यज्ञार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—यज्ञस्य अर्थः/प्रयोजनम् (for the sacrifice)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय

• आरुभाषिणि: O sweet-speaking one
• आरुभाषिणि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चारु + भाषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—चारु (pleasant) + भाषिणी (speaker)

Speaker

Dakṣa

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Priests and nobles in a yajña hall look disdainfully as Śiva is spoken of as lord of spirits; in the periphery, shadowy yet dignified gaṇas are hinted, suggesting the unseen presence of Rudra’s retinue.

Characters & Entities

• Dakṣa
• Śiva
• Bhūtas
• Pretas
• Piśācas
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual without reverence becomes hollow; judging Śiva by externals is a sign of spiritual ignorance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly; the Kedārakhaṇḍa context frames the episode, but this verse is about the yajña conflict.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It mentions a yajña invitation protocol negatively—Dakṣa’s exclusion of Śiva—serving as a warning rather than a prescription.