Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 94

Devanagari script

द्विजा वेदपरा नित्यं क्षत्रिया द्विज सेविनः । कुर्वते वैश्यवर्णाश्च भक्तिं द्विजगवां सदा

Transliteration

dvijā vedaparā nityaṃ kṣatriyā dvija sevinaḥ | kurvate vaiśyavarṇāśca bhaktiṃ dvijagavāṃ sadā

Translation

وكان «ذوو الميلاد الثاني» ملازمين للڤيدا أبداً؛ وكان الكشاتريا يخدمون ذوي الميلاد الثاني؛ وكان الڤيشيا يداومون على البهاكتي لذوي الميلاد الثاني وللبقر على الدوام.

Word by Word

• dvijāḥ: Brahmins (twice-born)
• dvijāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• vedaparāḥ: devoted to the Vedas
• vedaparāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वेदे पराः/वेदपरायणाः)

• nityam: always
• nityam: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसकलिङ्ग-एकवचन-प्रथमा/द्वितीया (adverbial accusative)

• kṣatriyāḥ: Kshatriyas
• kṣatriyāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣatriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• dvija: the Brahmin
• dvija: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (उपपद-सम्बन्धः ‘सेविन्’ इत्यनेन)

• sevinaḥ: serving, attending
• sevinaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sevin (सेविन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘सेविन्’ (serving)

• kurvate: do / perform
• kurvate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• vaiśyavarṇāḥ: the Vaishya class
• vaiśyavarṇāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśya (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (वैश्यः एव वर्णः)

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

• bhaktim: devotion
• bhaktim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• dvijagavām: of Brahmins and cows
• dvijagavām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (द्विजाश्च गावश्च)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Narrator (sectional voice; likely a Purāṇic narrator addressing a king)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: narādhipa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Tripartite tableau: brāhmaṇas reciting Veda with yajñopavīta and palm-leaf texts; kṣatriyas standing respectfully with folded hands and protective posture; vaiśyas tending cows, offering fodder and water, and presenting gifts to learned elders.

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Brāhmaṇa
• Kṣatriya
• Vaiśya
• Cow (Go)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A dharmic society honors sacred learning (Veda), supports spiritual leadership, and protects cows as a sign of righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named; the verse frames dharma as the foundation for sacred prosperity within Dharmāraṇya’s narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; it highlights ongoing practices of service (sevā) and reverence (bhakti), including go-sevā.