Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

देवाचार्येण संत्यक्तो भ्रात्रा मे कारणां तरे । गुरुपुत्रं च मां ज्ञात्वा यज्ञार्त्विज्यस्य कारणात्

Transliteration

devācāryeṇa saṃtyakto bhrātrā me kāraṇāṃ tare | guruputraṃ ca māṃ jñātvā yajñārtvijyasya kāraṇāt

Translation

ମାତୃକାରଣରୁ ଦେବଗୁରୁ ମୋତେ ପରିତ୍ୟାଗ କଲେ, ମୋ ଭାଇ ମଧ୍ୟ ତେଣୁ। ମୋତେ ଗୁରୁପୁତ୍ର ଜାଣିଥିଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଯଜ୍ଞରେ ଋତ୍ୱିଜ୍ୟ ଲାଗି ସେ ଏପରି କଲା।

Word by Word

• देवाचार्येण: by the teacher of the gods
• देवाचार्येण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवाचार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन — देवस्य आचार्यः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• संत्यक्तः: abandoned
• संत्यक्तः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-त्यज् (धातु) → त्यक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगे ‘त्यक्तः’ = ‘abandoned’

• भ्रात्रा: by (my) brother
• भ्रात्रा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• मे: of me / my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन — ‘मम/मे’

• कारणाम्: Kāraṇā (a woman named Kāraṇā)
• कारणाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (आकारान्त)

• तरे: I cross over
• तरे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘तरे’ = I cross/overcome

• गुरुपुत्रम्: the teacher’s son
• गुरुपुत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — गुरोः पुत्रः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) — ‘having known/recognised’

• यज्ञार्त्विज्यस्य: of the priestly office in a sacrifice
• यज्ञार्त्विज्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋत्विज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — यज्ञस्य ऋत्विज्यम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• कारणात्: because of
• कारणात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन — ‘because of/from the cause’

Speaker

Unspecified narrator in dialogue (first-person; likely a ritual specialist/ṛṣi in Marutta episode)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wronged figure recounts abandonment by Bṛhaspati and by a brother, with a sacrificial arena in the background suggesting political ritual motives.

Characters & Entities

• Devācārya (Bṛhaspati, by title)
• brother (unnamed)
• yajña
• ṛtvij (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Social rejection and acceptance can hinge on lineage and ritual utility; the Purāṇas depict how dharma and ambition intersect in yajña contexts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; it is focused on ritual appointment and interpersonal history.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It references yajñārtvijya—the role of serving as an officiating priest in a sacrifice.