Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

पुरा भवादृशः कश्चिद्ब्राह्मणो धर्मवर्जितः । द्राविडेषु स्थितो मूढः कर्मणा शूद्रतां गतः

Transliteration

purā bhavādṛśaḥ kaścidbrāhmaṇo dharmavarjitaḥ | drāviḍeṣu sthito mūḍhaḥ karmaṇā śūdratāṃ gataḥ

Translation

Einst gab es einen Brahmanen wie dich, doch ohne Dharma. Unter den Drāviḍas lebend, fiel jener Verblendete durch seine Taten in den Stand eines Śūdra hinab.

Word by Word

• purā: formerly, once
• purā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: formerly)

• bhavat-ādṛśaḥ: like you
• bhavat-ādṛśaḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhavat (भवत्-प्रातिपदिक) + ādṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः: भवतः आदृशः ‘like you’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कश्चित्/ब्राह्मणः)

• kaścit: someone, a certain (person)
• kaścit: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim + cit (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• brāhmaṇaḥ: a Brahmin
• brāhmaṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• dharma-varjitaḥ: devoid of dharma
• dharma-varjitaḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma + varjita (प्रातिपदिक; √vṛj/√varj ‘to avoid’ + kta)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः: धर्मं वर्जितः), कृदन्त-विशेषणम् (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ब्राह्मणस्य विशेषणम्

• drāviḍeṣu: among the Drāviḍas / in Drāviḍa regions
• drāviḍeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: drāviḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• sthitaḥ: stayed, remained
• sthitaḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (स्था धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि-भावः (having stayed)

• mūḍhaḥ: deluded, foolish
• mūḍhaḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mūḍha (प्रातिपदिक; √muh ‘to be deluded’ + kta)
• Form: कृदन्त-विशेषणम् (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कश्चित्/ब्राह्मणस्य विशेषणम्

• karmaṇā: by (his) actions
• karmaṇā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• śūdratām: Śūdra-hood, the state of a Śūdra
• śūdratām: Gati-karma / Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūdratā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• gataḥ: went to, became
• gataḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past active participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोगः

Speaker

Vāmadeva

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The seeker/questioner

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A flashback tableau: a brāhmaṇa who abandoned dharma lives among Drāviḍas, appearing confused and morally fallen; the scene contrasts sacred discipline with neglect—torn sacred thread, unkempt appearance, shadowed palette.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Drāviḍa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Status is upheld by dharma and conduct; adharma and wrongful karma lead to spiritual and social degradation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse sets up a didactic story illustrating purification and merit later in the episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it introduces a karmic backstory for a later demonstration of grace/purification.