Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणैः कारयेच्छ्राद्धं मूर्खैरपि द्विजोत्तमाः । चतुर्वेदा अपि त्याज्या अन्यस्थानसमुद्भवाः

Transliteration

brāhmaṇaiḥ kārayecchrāddhaṃ mūrkhairapi dvijottamāḥ | caturvedā api tyājyā anyasthānasamudbhavāḥ

Translation

يا أفضلَ ذوي الولادتين، ليُقَمْ طقسُ الشرادها على يدِ البراهمة وإن كانوا غيرَ متعلمين؛ أمّا من يعرفُ الفيداتِ الأربع فيُجتَنَبُ إذا كان وافدًا من موضعٍ آخر (غيرَ محلي).

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणैः: by Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कारयेत्: should cause to be done / should have performed
• कारयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• श्राद्धम्: śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• मूर्खैः: foolish
• मूर्खैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mūrkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण (qualifier) ब्राह्मणैः

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (even/also)

• द्विज-उत्तमाः: excellent Brahmins
• द्विज-उत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); द्विजेषु उत्तमाः (कर्मधारय)

• चतुर्-वेदाः: those versed in the four Vedas / the four-Veda (scholars)
• चतुर्-वेदाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (संख्या) + veda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); द्विगु-समास (चारः वेदाः)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• त्याज्याः: to be avoided/should be rejected
• त्याज्याः: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्यज् (धातु) → त्याज्य (कृदन्त/यत्)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• अन्य-स्थान-समुद्भवाः: originating from another place
• अन्य-स्थान-समुद्भवाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक) + sthāna (प्रातिपदिक) + samudbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); अन्यस्मात् स्थानात् समुद्भवः (पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष); विशेषण (qualifier) चतुर्-वेदाः/द्विजोत्तमाः

Speaker

Viśvāmitra

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim chooses between two priest groups: local simple brāhmaṇas and non-local learned brāhmaṇas with manuscripts; Viśvāmitra directs the pilgrim to the locals, emphasizing deśa-adhikāra.

Characters & Entities

• Caturveda
• Dvija

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

For certain tīrtha-rites, rootedness in the sacred locale is valued over mere scholastic prestige, to preserve ritual integrity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Gayākūpī-centered tīrtha practice, where local ritual lineage is emphasized.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Arrange śrāddha through local brāhmaṇas; avoid non-local officiants even if they are highly learned (caturveda).