Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 128

Devanagari script

विद्याधिकं गुरुं वृद्धं कुर्यादेतान्प्रदक्षिणान्

Transliteration

vidyādhikaṃ guruṃ vṛddhaṃ kuryādetānpradakṣiṇān

Translation

Hãy cung kính đi nhiễu (pradakṣiṇā) quanh người vượt trội về học vấn, quanh bậc thầy của mình và các bậc trưởng lão đáng tôn kính.

Word by Word

• vidyādhikam: more learned
• vidyādhikam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक) + adhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular); विशेषण (qualifier)

• gurum: teacher
• gurum: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• vṛddham: elder
• vṛddham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular); विशेषण

• kuryāt: should do/should perform
• kuryāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ, धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (Optative, Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular)

• etān: these
• etān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Plural); विशेषण—‘प्रदक्षिणान्’ इत्यस्य

• pradakṣiṇān: circumambulations
• pradakṣiṇān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pradakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Plural)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a temple courtyard, a disciple circumambulates a seated guru and an aged, serene scholar; other pilgrims watch quietly, hands folded; the pradakṣiṇā path is marked with lamps and flowers.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Honoring wisdom and age is a dharmic act; reverence to teachers and the learned sustains spiritual culture.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the focus is interpersonal dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform pradakṣiṇā (circumambulation) for the learned, the guru, and elders.