Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

हत्वा गाश्च वरं मांसं भक्षयीत द्विजाधमः । वरं जीवेत्समं म्लेच्छैर्न कुर्याद्वेदविक्रयम्

Transliteration

hatvā gāśca varaṃ māṃsaṃ bhakṣayīta dvijādhamaḥ | varaṃ jīvetsamaṃ mlecchairna kuryādvedavikrayam

Translation

حتى «ذو الولادتين» الوضيع—لَأَنْ يقتلَ البقرَ ثم يأكلَ لحمَه خيرٌ له، ولَأَنْ يعيشَ على السواء مع المليتشا خيرٌ له—من أن يرتكبَ إثمَ بيعِ الفيدا.

Word by Word

• हत्वा: having killed
• हत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (prior action)

• गाः: cows
• गाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन (feminine, accusative, plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• वरम्: better (rather)
• वरम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (preferably/better)

• मांसम्: meat
• मांसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (neuter, accusative, singular)

• भक्षयीत: should eat
• भक्षयीत: Kriyā (Predicate action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (optative, 3rd person singular, parasmaipada)

• द्विजाधमः: the lowest of the twice-born
• द्विजाधमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्विजानाम् अधमः) (masculine, nominative, singular)

• वरम्: better (rather)
• वरम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (preferably/better)

• जीवेत्: should live
• जीवेत्: Kriyā (Predicate action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (optative, 3rd person singular)

• समम्: equally, on equal terms
• समम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial accusative: 'equally')

• म्लेच्छैः: with barbarians (mlecchas)
• म्लेच्छैः: Sahakāraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: म्लेच्छ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/सह), बहुवचन (masculine, instrumental, plural)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriyā (Predicate action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (optative, 3rd person singular)

• वेदविक्रयम्: sale of the Veda
• वेदविक्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वेदस्य विक्रयः) (masculine, accusative, singular)

Speaker

Unknown (within Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya dialogue; addressed to ‘Devi’)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stark moral tableau: on one side, taboo acts depicted as dark possibilities; on the other, the central forbidden act—selling the Veda—shown as the darkest, with the teacher refusing coins while the other scenes fade like warnings.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Gāḥ (cows)
• Mleccha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Selling the Veda is portrayed as a moral collapse worse than other shocking transgressions, emphasizing the sanctity of revelation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra is the narrative frame; the verse teaches dharma expected of pilgrims and residents in sacred lands.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a forceful ethical warning against veda-vikraya.