Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

व्रजेद्देवलको राजन्योनिं चाण्डालसंज्ञिताम् । दुर्भगः फलविक्रेता वृश्चिको वृषलीपतिः

Transliteration

vrajeddevalako rājanyoniṃ cāṇḍālasaṃjñitām | durbhagaḥ phalavikretā vṛściko vṛṣalīpatiḥ

Translation

Der Tempeldiener, der von unziemlichem Dienst lebt, fällt, o König, in einen königlichen Schoß, der als Caṇḍāla gebrandmarkt ist. Ein Früchteverkäufer wird unglücklich; und wer eine niedriggeborene Frau zur Gattin nimmt, wird als Skorpion wiedergeboren.

Word by Word

• व्रजेत्: would go / should go
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present/Imperative sense), विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (singular)

• देवलकः: a temple-servant / devalaka
• देवलकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• योनिम्: womb; birth; state
• योनिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः (feminine), द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• चाण्डालसंज्ञिताम्: designated as a caṇḍāla (outcaste)
• चाण्डालसंज्ञिताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चाण्डाल (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञित (कृदन्त; √ज्ञा/ज्ञा-धातु, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः (feminine), द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचनम् (singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषणम् (past participle used adjectivally)

• दुर्भगः: an unfortunate man
• दुर्भगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्भग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• फलविक्रेता: a seller of fruits
• फलविक्रेता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्रेता (प्रातिपदिक; √क्री/विक्रि + तृच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• वृश्चिकः: a scorpion
• वृश्चिकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृश्चिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• वृषलीपतिः: husband of a śūdra-woman / low-caste woman
• वृषलीपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषली (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative), एकवचनम् (singular)

Speaker

Unknown (contextual narrator within Revā Khaṇḍa; addressing a king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrthas (general Revākhaṇḍa frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The king

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king listens to a sage enumerating karmic retributions: a temple-servant misusing service, a fruit-seller cheating, and a man taking a low-born wife—each shown with symbolic rebirth imagery (royal womb branded as outcaste; scorpion form).

Characters & Entities

• rājan

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Livelihood and relationships must align with dharma; censured dependence, exploitation, and improper unions are said to bear painful karmic fruit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse functions as a dharma-warning within the Revā Khaṇḍa frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive of karmic consequences rather than prescribing a rite.