Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

विप्राणां ज्ञानतो ज्यैष्ठ्यं बाहुजानां तु वीर्यतः । वैश्यानां धान्यधनतः पज्जातानां तु जन्मतः

Transliteration

viprāṇāṃ jñānato jyaiṣṭhyaṃ bāhujānāṃ tu vīryataḥ | vaiśyānāṃ dhānyadhanataḥ pajjātānāṃ tu janmataḥ

Translation

ব্ৰাহ্মণসকলৰ মাজত জ্যেষ্ঠতা জ্ঞানৰ দ্বাৰা; ক্ষত্ৰিয়সকলৰ মাজত বীৰ্যৰ দ্বাৰা; বৈশ্যসকলৰ মাজত ধান্য আৰু ধনৰ দ্বাৰা; আৰু নীচ জন্মৰ লোকসকলৰ মাজত কেৱল জন্মৰ দ্বাৰা।

Word by Word

• viprāṇām: of Brahmins
• viprāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• jñānataḥ: by (their) knowledge
• jñānataḥ: Hetu/Measure (Basis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘from/according to knowledge’

• jyaiṣṭhyam: seniority/superiority
• jyaiṣṭhyam: Karta (Subject; ‘seniority’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyaiṣṭhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• bāhu-jānām: of Kṣatriyas
• bāhu-jānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhu (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; बाहोः जाताः (those born of the arm = Kṣatriyas)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषार्थक अव्यय (but/indeed)

• vīryataḥ: by valor
• vīryataḥ: Hetu/Measure (Basis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vīrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘from/according to valor’

• vaiśyānām: of Vaiśyas
• vaiśyānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• dhānya-dhanataḥ: by grain and wealth
• dhānya-dhanataḥ: Hetu/Measure (Basis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhānya (प्रातिपदिक) + dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (dhānya + dhana) + तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; ‘from grain and wealth/according to wealth’

• pad-jātānām: of Śūdras
• pad-jātānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक) + jāta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; पदात् जाताः (those born from the feet = Śūdras)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषार्थक अव्यय (but/indeed)

• janmataḥ: by birth
• janmataḥ: Hetu/Measure (Basis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: janman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘from birth/according to birth’

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic tableau of four social groups: a brāhmaṇa teaching, a kṣatriya training with weapons, a vaiśya with granary/coins, and a laborer marked by lineage—arranged to show differing criteria of seniority.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• vipra
• kṣatriya (bāhuja)
• vaiśya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse frames social pre-eminence as tied to defining virtues—knowledge, valor, and prosperity—rather than uniform standards.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

It is part of Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s dharma discourse, indirectly glorifying Kāśī as a place where dharma and right order are taught.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; it presents a dharma-based criterion for seniority and status.