Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

इत्थं पुरा बकाभिख्यं बकवृत्तिमुपाश्रितम् । तदाऽर्जवे कृतमतिरनुजग्राह मां मुनिः

Transliteration

itthaṃ purā bakābhikhyaṃ bakavṛttimupāśritam | tadā'rjave kṛtamatiranujagrāha māṃ muniḥ

Translation

ఇలా పూర్వకాలంలో నేను ‘బక’ అని ప్రసిద్ధుడై, కొంగవంటి వృత్తిని ఆశ్రయించేవాడిని. అప్పుడు నా సంకల్పం సూటి సత్యధర్మం వైపు మళ్లగానే ముని నన్ను అనుగ్రహించాడు.

Word by Word

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• बकाभिख्यम्: named ‘Baka’
• बकाभिख्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बक (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘बक-आख्य’ = ‘बक इति आख्यं’ (named ‘baka’)

• बकवृत्तिम्: the conduct of a crane (hypocritical behavior)
• बकवृत्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बक (प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (baka-like conduct)

• उपाश्रितम्: having resorted to
• उपाश्रितम्: Karma (Object-complement/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘(माम्/अहम्)’ इत्यर्थे कर्मणि/विशेषण (having resorted to)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• अर्जवे: in sincerity/straightforwardness
• अर्जवे: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Locative, Singular)

• कृतमतिः: having formed a resolve
• कृतमतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातोः क्त, कृदन्त) + मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); बहुव्रीहि: ‘कृता मतिः यस्य सः’ (one whose resolve is made/firm)

• अनुजग्राह: favored/accepted
• अनुजग्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person, Singular); परस्मैपद

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

• मुनिः: the sage
• मुनिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

Speaker

Unspecified (first-person narrator within the puranic narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A narrator-figure recalls his former identity as ‘Baka’; a symbolic crane appears near a hermitage pond, while a sage extends a hand of blessing as the penitent bows, indicating the turn toward honesty.

Characters & Entities

• Gālava (implied later in the passage)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even one who previously lived in hypocrisy can receive a sage’s compassion when genuine sincerity (ārjava) arises.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No explicit site is mentioned in this verse; it is part of a moral narrative rather than a direct tīrtha-stuti.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is on inner reform—abandoning ‘baka-vṛtti’ and adopting sincerity.