Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

धर्मोपदेशः शूद्राणां स्वश्रेयः प्रतिघातयेत् । द्विजशुश्रूषणं धर्मः शूद्राणां हि परो मतः

Transliteration

dharmopadeśaḥ śūdrāṇāṃ svaśreyaḥ pratighātayet | dvijaśuśrūṣaṇaṃ dharmaḥ śūdrāṇāṃ hi paro mataḥ

Translation

Hier heißt es, dass Unterweisung der Śūdras in (bestimmter) Dharma ihr eigenes Heil behindere. Dienst und aufmerksame Hingabe gegenüber den Zweimalgeborenen (dvija) gelten als die höchste Dharma der Śūdras.

Word by Word

• धर्मोपदेशः: instruction in dharma
• धर्मोपदेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + उपदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य उपदेशः)

• शूद्राणाम्: of Śūdras
• शूद्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• स्वश्रेयः: one's own welfare
• स्वश्रेयः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (स्वं श्रेयः)

• प्रतिघातयेत्: would hinder/obstruct
• प्रतिघातयेत्: Kriya (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-घातय् (धातु; √घट्/घात् caus.)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विजशुश्रूषणम्: service to the twice-born
• द्विजशुश्रूषणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + शुश्रूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानां शुश्रूषणम्)

• धर्मः: dharma
• धर्मः: Samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• शूद्राणाम्: of Śūdras
• शूद्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• परः: highest/supreme
• परः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (धर्मस्य)

• मतः: considered/held to be
• मतः: Samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत (प्रातिपदिक; √मन् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), विशेषणम् (धर्मस्य)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic scene in Kāśī: a seated ācārya instructs householders near a ghat; attendants stand respectfully, emphasizing seva and disciplined conduct.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (implied by Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It presents a traditional, rule-bound view of dharma roles and emphasizes duty as defined by the text’s framework.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of Kāśī-centered instruction in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, not a particular tīrtha description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It prescribes śuśrūṣā (service/attendance) as the principal duty for Śūdras in this passage.