Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

असत्यभाषिणो विप्राः सुरूपा नृपसत्तमाः । सर्व्वविद्याकुशलिनो ब्राह्मणा ब्रह्मसत्तमाः

Transliteration

asatyabhāṣiṇo viprāḥ surūpā nṛpasattamāḥ | sarvvavidyākuśalino brāhmaṇā brahmasattamāḥ

Translation

কিছুমান ব্ৰাহ্মণ অসত্য ভাষণ কৰে; আৰু কিছুমান সুৰুপ, উত্তম নৃপতি। আৰু কিছুমান ব্ৰাহ্মণ সকলো বিদ্যাত কুশলী—ব্ৰহ্মনিষ্ঠসকলৰ মাজত শ্ৰেষ্ঠ।

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.