Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

इत्युक्तो गुरुणा कौत्सो विचार्य समुपागमत् । काकुत्स्थं दिग्विजेतारं ययाचे गुरुदक्षिणाम्

Transliteration

ityukto guruṇā kautso vicārya samupāgamat | kākutsthaṃ digvijetāraṃ yayāce gurudakṣiṇām

Translation

ഗുരു ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞപ്പോൾ കൗത്സൻ ആലോചിച്ച്, ദിക്കുകൾ ജയിച്ച കാകുത്സ്ഥൻ ശ്രീരാമനെ സമീപിച്ച് ഗുരുദക്ഷിണയ്ക്കായി യാചിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• uktaḥ: having been told
• uktaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vac (धातु) → ukta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे कर्तरि विशेषणम्

• guruṇā: by the teacher
• guruṇā: Karana/Agent-in-passive (Instrumental/कर्ता-निर्देश)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• kautsaḥ: Kautsa
• kautsaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kautsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• vicārya: having reflected
• vicārya: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: car (धातु) + vi- + ā- → vicāraya (णिच्) → vicārya (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having considered)

• samupāgamat: approached
• samupāgamat: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु) + sam-upa-ā → samupāgam (धातु-प्रयोग)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• kākutstham: Kākutstha (Rāma)
• kākutstham: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākutstha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• digvijetāram: conqueror of the quarters
• digvijetāram: Karman (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dik (प्रातिपदिक) + vijetṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (दिग्-विजेता = दिशां विजेता); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• yayāce: begged/asked
• yayāce: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yāc (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• guru-dakṣiṇām: teacher’s fee
• guru-dakṣiṇām: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक) + dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (गुरोः दक्षिणा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa dialogue frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kautsa, after reflection, walks to the radiant court of Kākutstha. He bows and petitions for guru-dakṣiṇā; Rāma appears as a victorious, serene ruler, embodying generosity.

Characters & Entities

• Kautsa
• Guru
• Kakutstha (Rāma)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma begins with gratitude and right conduct—honoring one’s teacher through guru-dakṣiṇā.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is narrative setup within Ayodhyā Māhātmya; the specific tīrtha is detailed in the following verses.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The ethical-religious duty of offering guru-dakṣiṇā (teacher’s honorarium) is indicated.