Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

असत्यभाषिणो विप्राः सुरूपा नृपसत्तमाः । सर्व्वविद्याकुशलिनो ब्राह्मणा ब्रह्मसत्तमाः

Transliteration

asatyabhāṣiṇo viprāḥ surūpā nṛpasattamāḥ | sarvvavidyākuśalino brāhmaṇā brahmasattamāḥ

Translation

يوجد من البراهمة من ينطق بالباطل؛ ويوجد من الملوك النبلاء ذوي الهيئة الحسنة؛ ويوجد من البراهمة من أتقن كل فروع المعرفة—وهم الأسمى بين المكرَّسين للبراهمن.

Word by Word

• असत्यभाषिणः: speaking untruth
• असत्यभाषिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असत्य-भाषिन् (प्रातिपदिक; असत्य + भाषिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (adjective)

• विप्राः: Brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सुरूपाः: handsome, of good form
• सुरूपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• नृपसत्तमाः: best of kings
• नृपसत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप-सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; नृप + सत्तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; उपाधि/विशेष्यवत् (title-like noun)

• सर्वविद्याकुशलिनः: skilled in all sciences/arts
• सर्वविद्याकुशलिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-विद्या-कुशलिन् (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + विद्या + कुशलिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• ब्रह्मसत्तमाः: best among knowers of Brahman / best Brahmins
• ब्रह्मसत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म-सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्मन् + सत्तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; उपाधि/विशेष्यवत्

Speaker

Unspecified (Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa narrative voice; likely Sūta-type purāṇic narrator)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic forest-āśrama setting: elders instructing disciples; contrasting figures—one brāhmaṇa with a forked tongue (symbolic), a radiant king, and a serene brahma-niṣṭha sage—showing that inner truth, not outer markers, defines greatness.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (brāhmaṇa)
• Nṛpa (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma evaluates people by truthfulness and realized excellence, not merely by social label; learning and integrity are central.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred site is mentioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is ethical and social in emphasis.