Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

उत्सन्नपतृदेवेज्याः स्वकर्मत्यागिनश्च ये । दुःशीला नास्तिकाः पापा न सदा सत्यवादिनः

Transliteration

utsannapatṛdevejyāḥ svakarmatyāginaśca ye | duḥśīlā nāstikāḥ pāpā na sadā satyavādinaḥ

Translation

ผู้ที่ละเลยการบูชาบรรพบุรุษและทวยเทพ ผู้ละทิ้งหน้าที่ของตน ผู้มีความประพฤติชั่ว ผู้ไม่มีศรัทธา ผู้มีบาป และไม่มั่นคงในสัจจะ บุคคลเช่นนี้ย่อมถูกประณาม

Word by Word

• उत्सन्नपतृदेवेज्याः: those whose worship of ancestors and gods has lapsed
• उत्सन्नपतृदेवेज्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्सन्न (कृदन्त/भूतकृदन्त, √सद्/सद्-धातु ‘to sink/decay’ + उपसर्ग उत्) + पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + देवेज्या (प्रातिपदिक; देव + इज्या ‘worship’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (पतृदेवेज्या = पितॄणां देवानां च इज्या; उत्सन्ना पतृदेवेज्या येषां ते) विशेषणरूपेण

• स्वकर्मत्यागिनः: abandoners of their own duties
• स्वकर्मत्यागिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + त्यागिन् (प्रातिपदिक; √त्यज् धातु ‘to abandon’ + इन्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (स्वकर्म = स्वस्य कर्म; स्वकर्मत्यागिन् = स्वकर्म त्यजति इति)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• दुःशीला: ill-conducted
• दुःशीला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुः (उपसर्ग/निपात) + शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः (दुष्टं शीलं येषां ते)

• नास्तिकाः: atheists/deniers
• नास्तिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न (निपात) + आस्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; नास्तिक-शब्दः (न आस्तिकः)

• पापाः: sinful
• पापाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• सत्यवादिनः: truth-speakers
• सत्यवादिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वादिन् (प्रातिपदिक; √वद् धातु ‘to speak’ + इन्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (सत्यं वदति इति)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: An inquiring sage/assembly (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic assembly: a sage-teacher enumerates adharma; in the background, neglected ancestral rites—unlit śrāddha fire, unattended pitṛ-tarpaṇa vessel—contrasted with a devotee maintaining worship and truthfulness.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual life requires fidelity to truth, worship, and svadharma; neglect and denial erode merit and character.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is named; it is a general dharma-criterion for purity in pilgrimage and worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Maintain pitṛ offerings and deva worship and uphold truth; no specific procedure is given here.