Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

शिलाग्र्यामिव सद्वृष्टिः शुनक्यामिव सत्क्रिया । विफला मंदभाग्यायामाशीर्ब्रह्मविदामपि

Transliteration

śilāgryāmiva sadvṛṣṭiḥ śunakyāmiva satkriyā | viphalā maṃdabhāgyāyāmāśīrbrahmavidāmapi

Translation

“ดุจฝนประเสริฐตกลงบนยอดศิลา ดุจพิธีอันดีทำแก่ผู้ไม่สมควร—ฉันนั้นแล สำหรับผู้มีวาสนาน้อย แม้พรของผู้รู้พรหมันก็กลับไร้ผล”

Word by Word

• शिलाग्र्याम्: a rocky ground/stone surface
• शिलाग्र्याम्: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिला-अग्र्य (प्रातिपदिक; शिला + अग्र्य)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; उपमान-स्थान (object of comparison)

• इव: like
• इव: Upama-dyotaka (Comparator/उपमाद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• सद्वृष्टिः: good rainfall
• सद्वृष्टिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्-वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक; सत् + वृष्टि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• शुनक्याम्: a female dog
• शुनक्याम्: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुनकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; उपमान-स्थान

• इव: like
• इव: Upama-dyotaka (Comparator/उपमाद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक-अव्यय

• सत्क्रिया: good deed/rite
• सत्क्रिया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्-क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक; सत् + क्रिया)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• विफला: fruitless
• विफला: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण—आशीः

• मन्दभाग्यायाम्: in/for the ill-fated woman
• मन्दभाग्यायाम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्द-भाग्या (प्रातिपदिक; मन्द + भाग्या)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• आशीः: blessing
• आशीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मविदाम्: of the knowers of Brahman
• ब्रह्मविदाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म-विद् (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्मन् + विद्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कार (particle: even/also)

Speaker

Śārada (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A poetic split-scene: (1) rain falling on a bare rocky summit, water running off; (2) a ritual offering given to an unworthy recipient, symbolizing wasted merit; foreground: the woman speaking these similes to the sage.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Punya and blessings require receptivity (adhikāra); past karma can obstruct results, hence prescribed observances to restore fitness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No sacred geography is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it motivates the need for a corrective vrata.