Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

तं विनम्राकृतिं दृष्ट्वा भृत्यतां कर्तुमागतम् । चक्रे महानसाध्यक्षमज्ञानात्स महीपतिः

Transliteration

taṃ vinamrākṛtiṃ dṛṣṭvā bhṛtyatāṃ kartumāgatam | cakre mahānasādhyakṣamajñānātsa mahīpatiḥ

Translation

அவனைத் தாழ்மையான தோற்றத்துடன் பணிவிடை செய்ய வந்தவன் எனக் கண்டு, அரசன் அறியாமையால் அவனை அரச சமையலறை மேற்பார்வையாளனாக நியமித்தான்.

Word by Word

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vinamrākṛtim: of humble appearance
• vinamrākṛtim: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vinamra + ākṛti (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (vinamrā ākṛtiḥ) विशेषण

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Sambandha (Prior action/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु) → dṛṣṭvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त; क्त्वान्त (gerund/absolutive)

• bhṛtyatām: servitude; the status of a servant
• bhṛtyatām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhṛtyatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भाववाचक (state of being a servant)

• kartum: to make; to do
• kartum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) → kartum (तुमुन्)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive)

• āgatam: come; arrived
• āgatam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā + √gam (धातु) → āgata (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; 'tam' इत्यस्य विशेषण

• cakre: made; appointed
• cakre: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• mahānasādhyakṣam: superintendent of the kitchen
• mahānasādhyakṣam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahānasa + adhyakṣa (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी: 'of the kitchen' + 'superintendent')

• ajñānāt: out of ignorance
• ajñānāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• mahīpatiḥ: the king; lord of the earth
• mahīpatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī + pati (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी: 'of earth' + 'lord')

Speaker

Narrator (not specified in the excerpt; likely the Purāṇic narrator within Brāhma Khaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, serene and trusting, gestures to appoint the humble newcomer as kitchen superintendent; the newcomer bows deeply while his eyes betray hidden malice; kitchen vessels gleam in the background.

Characters & Entities

• mahīpati (king)
• rākṣasa (implied, in disguise)
• mahānasa (royal kitchen)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Misplaced trust born of ignorance can open the door to harm; dharma requires careful discernment in appointing and empowering others.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.