Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

एकमप्यक्षरं यस्तु गुरुः शिष्ये निवेदयेत् । पृथिव्या नास्ति तद्द्रव्यं यद्दत्त्वा ह्यनृणी भवेत्

Transliteration

ekamapyakṣaraṃ yastu guruḥ śiṣye nivedayet | pṛthivyā nāsti taddravyaṃ yaddattvā hyanṛṇī bhavet

Translation

แม้ครูบาอาจารย์จะถ่ายทอดแก่ศิษย์เพียงอักษรเดียว ก็ไม่มีทรัพย์สิ่งใดบนแผ่นดินที่ให้แล้วจะทำให้พ้นหนี้คุณนั้นได้

Word by Word

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); अक्षरम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; 'even')

• अक्षरम्: a syllable/letter
• अक्षरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• गुरुः: teacher
• गुरुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• शिष्ये: in/for a disciple
• शिष्ये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन (Singular)

• निवेदयेत्: should impart/teach
• निवेदयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + विद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; causative sense possible in usage 'to communicate/teach'

• पृथिव्याः: on earth / of the earth
• पृथिव्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• अस्ति: is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); द्रव्यम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• द्रव्यम्: thing/wealth
• द्रव्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive) — 'having given'

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis)

• अनृणी: free from debt/obligation
• अनृणी: Karta (Subject complement/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनृणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); 'ऋणरहितः' इति विशेषणम्

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

Speaker

Unknown (Māhātmya narrative voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in tīrthamāhātmya style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage audience within māhātmya frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A guru softly instructs a disciple—perhaps whispering a single syllable/mantra; the disciple bows, realizing the immeasurable value of knowledge; a scale or treasure motif subtly shows material wealth as insufficient.

Characters & Entities

• Guru
• Śiṣya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Knowledge given by a true teacher is priceless; material gifts cannot fully repay the spiritual debt created by even a small transmission of wisdom.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching appears within the Śrīhāṭakeśvara-kṣetra māhātmya setting of Nāgarakhaṇḍa, where tīrtha-merit is linked with right conduct toward teachers and scripture.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An implied prescription of guru-honor and dāna (offerings/gifts), while stressing that no gift fully cancels the debt of learning.