Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

गुरोश्चाप्रीतिजनने कृतघ्ने ग्रामयाजके । ब्रह्मबन्धौ च यद्दत्तं यद्दत्तं वृषलीपतौ

Transliteration

guroścāprītijanane kṛtaghne grāmayājake | brahmabandhau ca yaddattaṃ yaddattaṃ vṛṣalīpatau

Translation

గురువుకు అప్రీతి కలిగించేవానికి, కృతఘ్నునికి, కేవలం జీవిక కోసం గ్రామయాజకత్వం చేసే వానికి, ‘బ్రహ్మబంధు’ (పేరుకే బ్రాహ్మణుడు)కి, లేదా అధర్మిణీ స్త్రీలో ఆసక్తుడైనవానికి ఇచ్చిన దానం వ్యర్థమవుతుంది.

Word by Word

• गुरोः: of the teacher
• गुरोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• अप्रीतिजनने: in (one who is) a cause of displeasure
• अप्रीतिजनने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ (निषेध) + प्रीति (प्रातिपदिक) + जनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• कृतघ्ने: in/for an ungrateful person
• कृतघ्ने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृतघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• ग्रामयाजके: in/for a village priest
• ग्रामयाजके: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक) + याजक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• ब्रह्मबन्धौ: in/for a brahma-bandhu (Brahmin only by relation, not by conduct)
• ब्रह्मबन्धौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• वृषलीपतौ: in/for the husband of a śūdra-woman (vṛṣalī)
• वृषलीपतौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषली (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Deductive (Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya narrative voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa reporting a teaching)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A guru seated beneath a canopy; a disciple offers respectful dāna to a worthy brāhmaṇa while turning away from a corrupt village-priest counting coins. Symbolic motifs: a broken sacred thread for ‘brahmabandhu’, a withered garland for ingratitude.

Characters & Entities

• guru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Merit depends on reverence, gratitude, and purity of conduct; giving to those hostile to dharma or spiritual discipline loses its fruit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra is the textual setting; the māhātmya frames ethical giving as part of sacred pilgrimage life.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A guideline for dāna: choose recipients of good conduct and spiritual integrity; avoid recipients characterized by disrespect, ingratitude, or degraded living.