Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

उपाध्यायः सशिष्यश्च ब्रह्मस्थानं समाश्रितः । स गत्वा दूरतः स्थित्वा संनिविष्टो यथान्त्यजः

Transliteration

upādhyāyaḥ saśiṣyaśca brahmasthānaṃ samāśritaḥ | sa gatvā dūrataḥ sthitvā saṃniviṣṭo yathāntyajaḥ

Translation

อุปาธยาย์พร้อมศิษย์พำนักอยู่ ณ พรหมสถาน ครั้นไปถึง เขายืนอยู่ห่าง ๆ แล้วนั่งลง ดุจคนจัณฑาลผู้ต่ำต้อย เพราะสำนึกในความผิดของตน

Word by Word

• उपाध्यायः: teacher, preceptor
• उपाध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• स-शिष्यः: (one) with (his) disciple
• स-शिष्यः: Sahakāraka (सहकारी/सहचर)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + स (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—अव्ययीभाव (सहितः = with)

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

• ब्रह्म-स्थानम्: the place of Brahman (sacred spot)
• ब्रह्म-स्थानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः स्थानम्)

• समाश्रितः: having taken refuge in / having resorted to
• समाश्रितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + श्रि (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः ‘समाश्रित’ = having resorted to

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (pronoun)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त—क्त्वा (gerund), ‘having gone’

• दूरतः: from a distance / far away
• दूरतः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय—तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb)

• स्थित्वा: having stood
• स्थित्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त—क्त्वा (gerund), ‘having stood’

• संनिविष्टः: seated / settled
• संनिविष्टः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + नि + विश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अर्थः ‘seated/settled’

• यथा: as, like
• यथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• अन्त्यजः: an outcaste
• अन्त्यजः: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त्यज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (deduced: Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa-like purāṇic narrator in Māhātmya narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahmasthāna

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A guru with a disciple in a sanctified precinct; the disciple stands at a distance, seated low with a posture of shame, avoiding the central sacred space.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmasthāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Expiation requires humility: one approaches dharmic authority without pride, acknowledging one’s fallen state and seeking restoration.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Brahmasthāna is mentioned as the sacred seat where the teacher resides; the chapter’s tīrtha focus remains connected with Śaṃkhatīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Approaching an upādhyāya (preceptor) as part of prāyaścitta—seeking authoritative guidance for purification.