Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

नीचबुद्धिं न कुर्वीत पुराणज्ञे कदाचन । यस्य वक्त्रांबुजाद्वाणी कामधेनुः शरीरिणाम्

Transliteration

nīcabuddhiṃ na kurvīta purāṇajñe kadācana | yasya vaktrāṃbujādvāṇī kāmadhenuḥ śarīriṇām

Translation

ପୁରାଣଜ୍ଞଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି କେବେ ନୀଚବୁଦ୍ଧି କରିବା ଉଚିତ୍ ନୁହେଁ; କାରଣ ତାଙ୍କ ମୁଖକମଳରୁ ନିସ୍ସୃତ ବାଣୀ ଶରୀରୀମାନଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ କାମଧେନୁ ସମାନ।

Word by Word

• नीचबुद्धिम्: low opinion/mean thought
• नीचबुद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीच + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (नीचा बुद्धिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• कुर्वीत: should make/entertain
• कुर्वीत: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद (should do/make)

• पुराणज्ञे: toward/in the case of a Purāṇa-knower
• पुराणज्ञे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति एकवचन (Locative singular)

• कदाचन: ever
• कदाचन: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (ever/at any time)

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक; षष्ठी विभक्ति एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• वक्त्राम्बुजात्: from the lotus of (his) mouth
• वक्त्राम्बुजात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्त्र + अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (वक्त्रं अम्बुजम् इव/वक्त्रस्य अम्बुजम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी विभक्ति एकवचन (Ablative singular)

• वाणी: speech
• वाणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• कामधेनुः: wish-fulfilling cow
• कामधेनुः: Karta (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामधेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति एकवचन (Nominative singular); उपमा/रूपक-प्रयोग (as wish-fulfilling cow)

• शरीरिणाम्: of embodied beings
• शरीरिणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति बहुवचन (Genitive plural)

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator voice (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A paurāṇika’s mouth depicted as a lotus (vaktrāmbuja) from which luminous syllables flow, transforming into a gentle Kāmadhenu that showers boons (food, wisdom, peace) upon listeners; a contrasting figure about to sneer is restrained by elders, symbolizing avajñā-niṣedha.

Characters & Entities

• Kāmadhenu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Disrespecting a Purāṇa-knower is spiritually harmful; their sacred speech is a beneficent source of guidance and blessings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is named; the glorification is of the teacher’s Purāṇic speech.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A behavioral injunction: avoid contempt and cultivate reverence toward purāṇajñas (Purāṇa teachers/knowers).