Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 115

Devanagari script

वेदवेदांगतत्त्वज्ञः शुद्धात्मा पापवर्जितः । श्रेष्ठः श्रोत्रियवान्प्राज्ञः सोऽनूचान इति स्मृतः

Transliteration

vedavedāṃgatattvajñaḥ śuddhātmā pāpavarjitaḥ | śreṣṭhaḥ śrotriyavānprājñaḥ so'nūcāna iti smṛtaḥ

Translation

ผู้ใดรู้แก่นแท้แห่งพระเวทและเวทางค์ มีจิตบริสุทธิ์ ปราศจากบาป—ประเสริฐ มีความรู้แบบโศรตริยะ และเปี่ยมปัญญา—ผู้นั้นระลึกกันว่าเป็น “อนูจานะ”

Word by Word

• वेदवेदाङ्गतत्त्वज्ञः: knower of the principles of Veda and Vedāṅgas
• वेदवेदाङ्गतत्त्वज्ञः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + वेदाङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (वेदस्य वेदाङ्गस्य च तत्त्वं जानाति)

• शुद्धात्मा: pure-souled
• शुद्धात्मा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (शुद्धः आत्मा यस्य)

• पापवर्जितः: free from sin
• पापवर्जितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्जित (कृदन्त, √वृज्/√वर्ज्)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘devoid of sin’

• श्रेष्ठः: excellent
• श्रेष्ठः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (superlative sense)

• श्रोत्रियवान्: endowed with śrotriya learning
• श्रोत्रियवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रोत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तद्धितान्त (वत्) ‘possessing śrotriya-hood/learning’

• प्राज्ञः: wise
• प्राज्ञः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• अनूचानः: anūcāna (well-versed)
• अनूचानः: Predicate nominative (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनूचान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘well-studied/learned (in Veda)’

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

• स्मृतः: is regarded
• स्मृतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘is remembered/considered’

Speaker

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

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wise anūcāna in meditation beside a sacred fire, with manuscripts closed—signifying internalized meaning; a faint aura of purity; disciples approach with questions.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Higher religious authority requires not only learning but also purity, freedom from sin, and insight into the essence of scripture.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it describes qualifications (knowledge, purity, wisdom) rather than prescribing a rite.