Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

इत्यपोंजलिनादाय गुरुं शप्तुं समुद्यतः । पतित्वा पादयोस्तस्य मदयन्ती न्यवारयत्

Transliteration

ityapoṃjalinādāya guruṃ śaptuṃ samudyataḥ | patitvā pādayostasya madayantī nyavārayat

Translation

یوں کہہ کر اُس نے ہتھیلیوں میں جل لے کر گرو کو شاپ دینے کے لیے اٹھنا چاہا؛ مگر مدیَنتی گرو کے چرنوں میں گر پڑی اور اسے روک لیا۔

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक/उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• अपः: waters
• अपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन (plural)

• अञ्जलिना: with cupped hands (as a handful)
• अञ्जलिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन (singular)

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial to main action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); ‘आदाय’ = having taken

• गुरुम्: the teacher
• गुरुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• शप्तुम्: to curse
• शप्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शप् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive); ‘शप्तुम्’ = to curse

• समुद्यतः: (he) being ready/intent
• समुद्यतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उद्-यत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle) विशेषण; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; ‘समुद्यतः’ = having risen/ready, intent

• पतित्वा: having fallen
• पतित्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); ‘पतित्वा’ = having fallen

• पादयोः: at the feet
• पादयोः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण) द्विवचन (dual) (locative dual)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• मदयन्ती: Madayantī (the woman)
• मदयन्ती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle) स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘मदयन्ती’ = gladdening/pleasing (here: the woman named Madayantī)

• न्यवारयत्: stopped, restrained
• न्यवारयत्: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-वारय् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect/past); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic recounting)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king, hands cupped with water for a śāpa, rises in anger toward a seated guru; Madayantī throws herself at the guru’s feet, palms joined, stopping the curse mid-gesture.

Characters & Entities

• King
• Vasiṣṭha (Guru)
• Madayantī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A single act of humble intervention can avert grave adharma; reverence to the guru and restraint in anger protect a lineage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse highlights dharma within the household and guru-centered ethics.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The act of taking water in joined palms indicates a formal vow/curse-utterance gesture, showing how speech-acts were ritually sealed.