Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

अथ विप्रान्प्रवक्ष्यामि श्राद्धे ये केचन क्षमाः । विशिष्टः श्रोत्रियो योगी वेदविद्यासमन्वितः

Transliteration

atha viprānpravakṣyāmi śrāddhe ye kecana kṣamāḥ | viśiṣṭaḥ śrotriyo yogī vedavidyāsamanvitaḥ

Translation

الآن سأصفُ البراهمةَ الذين يَصلحون للدعوة في شعيرة الشرادها (śrāddha): المتميّز، والـśrotriya العالم بالويدا، واليوغي، ومن أُوتيَ معرفةَ الفيدا والعلمَ المقدّس.

Word by Word

• अथ: now/then
• अथ: Sambandha (Sequencing/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय

• विप्रान्: Brahmins
• विप्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall describe
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + प्र (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• श्राद्धे: in/for the śrāddha
• श्राद्धे: Adhikaraṇa (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• केचन: some
• केचन: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• क्षमाः: fit/competent
• क्षमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ye/viprāḥ)

• विशिष्टः: distinguished
• विशिष्टः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशिष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √शिष्/√शास्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

• श्रोत्रियः: a Veda-trained Brahmin (śrotriya)
• श्रोत्रियः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रोत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• योगी: a yogin
• योगी: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वेदविद्यासमन्वितः: endowed with Vedic knowledge
• वेदविद्यासमन्वितः: Karta (Qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √इ/√वि + सम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वेदविद्याभ्यां समन्वितः = endowed with Vedic learning)

Speaker

Śiva (continuing instruction) (deduced from continuity of didactic tone in the Devī dialogue block)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī/Pārvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A line of invited brāhmaṇas seated for śrāddha: one recites Veda (śrotriya), one sits in yogic composure, another holds a manuscript; the patron respectfully offers water and food, emphasizing discernment and honor.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha is strengthened by the worthiness of those honored; dharma emphasizes learning, discipline, and spiritual integrity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The guidance belongs to Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya, presenting Prabhāsa as a setting where śrāddha should follow high standards of dharmic propriety.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Lists qualifications for brāhmaṇas suitable for śrāddha invitation: distinguished, śrotriya, yogin, and endowed with Vedic learning.