Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

अकुलीनो वेदबाह्यो भूतप्रेतपिशाचराट् । तस्मान्नाकारितो भद्रे यज्ञार्थं चारुभाषिणि

Transliteration

akulīno vedabāhyo bhūtapretapiśācarāṭ | tasmānnākārito bhadre yajñārthaṃ cārubhāṣiṇi

Translation

“Dia tidak berdarah bangsawan, berada di luar Veda, dan menjadi penguasa di kalangan bhūta, preta, serta piśāca. Maka, wahai yang dikasihi, yang bertutur manis, dia tidak diundang demi upacara yajña ini.”

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.