Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

उपदेशो न कर्तव्यो जातिहीनस्य कर्हिचित् । उपदेशे महान्दोष उपाध्यायस्य विद्यते

Transliteration

upadeśo na kartavyo jātihīnasya karhicit | upadeśe mahāndoṣa upādhyāyasya vidyate

Translation

“ไม่ควรให้โอวาทคำสอนแก่ผู้ที่ถูกถือว่า ‘ไร้สถานะชาติ’ ไม่ว่าเมื่อใด หากให้คำสอนแล้ว ตามคัมภีร์กล่าวว่าโทษใหญ่ย่อมตกแก่ครูอุปาธยายะ”

Word by Word

• उपदेशः: instruction; teaching
• उपदेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• कर्तव्यः: to be done; should be given
• कर्तव्यः: Predicate (obligation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'उपदेशः' इति विधेय-विशेषणम् (should be done)

• जातिहीनस्य: of one lacking caste/status
• जातिहीनस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जाति + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कर्हिचित्: ever; at any time
• कर्हिचित्: Kriya-viseshana (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कर्हिचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक/निषेध-प्रबलक अव्यय (at any time/ever)

• उपदेशे: in (the act of) instruction
• उपदेशे: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महान्: great
• महान्: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'दोषः' इति विशेषणम्

• दोषः: fault; sin
• दोषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उपाध्यायस्य: of the teacher (preceptor)
• उपाध्यायस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विद्यते: exists; is found
• विद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; भावे (exists)

Speaker

Kulapati (Brahmin hermitage head)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setutīrtha (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dṛḍhamati

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The kulapati issues a cautionary injunction: do not give instruction to one deemed ‘jāti-hīna’ by the prevailing rule; the atmosphere is austere, emphasizing the weight of śāstric responsibility on the teacher.

Characters & Entities

• Kulapati
• Upādhyāya (teacher)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It reflects a rule-bound model of adhikāra (eligibility), emphasizing the perceived responsibility and risk borne by a teacher in transmitting instruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of the Setu-kṣetra narrative framework, though it primarily addresses instruction norms rather than praising a tirtha directly.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prohibition on giving upadeśa to one deemed ineligible (jātihīna) and the assertion of doṣa (fault) for the upādhyāya if violated.