Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

एतेन श्रुतिशास्त्राणि पुराणं च वृतैव किम् । अग्रे सप्तर्षिपूर्वा ये ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया भवन्

Transliteration

etena śrutiśāstrāṇi purāṇaṃ ca vṛtaiva kim | agre saptarṣipūrvā ye brāhmaṇāḥ kṣatriyā bhavan

Translation

若果如此，则《吠陀》、诸论典乃至《往世书》又有何用？古时承七仙（七Ṛṣi）为先导之婆罗门，亦曾在职分上成为刹帝利。

Word by Word

• एतेन: by this/with this
• एतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Singular)

• श्रुतिशास्त्राणि: Śruti and Śāstras
• श्रुतिशास्त्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति-शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक; श्रुति + शास्त्र)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Plural)

• पुराणम्: Purāṇa
• पुराणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

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

• वृता: chosen/accepted
• वृता: Karya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √वृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• किम्: what? / why?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

• अग्रे: formerly/earlier
• अग्रे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगे सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययवत् (adverbial: 'in front/earlier')

• सप्तर्षिपूर्वाः: preceded by the seven Ṛṣis
• सप्तर्षिपूर्वाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त-ऋषि-पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक; सप्त + ऋषि + पूर्व)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• क्षत्रियाः: Kṣatriyas
• क्षत्रियाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• भवन्: were/became
• भवन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (3rd person, Plural) [पाठे 'भवन्' = 'अभवन्' अर्थे]

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A debate scene where a speaker challenges a skeptic: scrolls labeled ‘Veda’, ‘Śāstra’, ‘Purāṇa’ are displayed; behind them a visionary tableau of the Saptarṣis, and brāhmaṇa sages bearing kṣatriya emblems (bow/standard) to indicate functional role.

Characters & Entities

• Saptarṣi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right conduct must harmonize with sacred authority; mere argumentation cannot replace śruti-śāstra guidance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse is part of a doctrinal discussion rather than a tīrtha-māhātmya passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it references scriptural authority and ancient exemplars (Saptarṣis) rather than rituals.