Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 113

Devanagari script

एकोद्देश्यमतिक्रम्य वेदस्याचारवानृजुः । स ब्राह्मण इति प्रोक्तो निभृतः सत्यवाग्घृणी

Transliteration

ekoddeśyamatikramya vedasyācāravānṛjuḥ | sa brāhmaṇa iti prokto nibhṛtaḥ satyavāgghṛṇī

Translation

ผู้ใดก้าวพ้นเพียงบทเรียนเดียวแห่งพระเวท มีวัตรปฏิบัติเคร่งครัดและซื่อตรง—สงบสำรวม พูดความจริง และเปี่ยมเมตตา—ผู้นั้นแลถูกประกาศว่าเป็น “พราหมณ์”

Word by Word

• एकोद्‌देश्यम्: a single prescribed aim/lesson
• एकोद्‌देश्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्देश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (एकम् उद्देश्यम्)

• अतिक्रम्य: having transgressed
• अतिक्रम्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति-क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातुः—क्रम्, उपसर्गः—अति; ‘having transgressed/overstepped’

• वेदस्य: of the Veda
• वेदस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• आचारवान्: of good conduct
• आचारवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आचार (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तद्धितान्त (वत्) ‘possessing conduct’

• ऋजुः: straight/upright
• ऋजुः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋजु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ब्राह्मणः: a brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मणः: Predicate nominative (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Discourse marker (इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• प्रोक्तः: is called/said
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वच् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘said/called’

• निभृतः: restrained
• निभृतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि-√भृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘restrained/quiet’

• सत्यवाक्: truth-speaking
• सत्यवाक्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वाच्/वाक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सत्यं वाक् यस्य)

• घृणी: compassionate
• घृणी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घृणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘compassionate’ (घृणि-शब्द)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), contextually within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene brāhmaṇa-teacher seated in a forest hermitage or temple courtyard, palm-leaf manuscript nearby, blessing a student; his calm posture and compassionate gaze embody satya and dayā.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A brāhmaṇa is defined by meaningful study, integrity, truthfulness, restraint, and compassion—not by outward label alone.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; it emphasizes ethical and educational qualifications.