Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

षड्विंशतिसहस्राणि ब्राह्मणा मे परिग्रहे । षट्कर्मनिरताः शुद्धा लोभदम्भविवर्जिताः

Transliteration

ṣaḍviṃśatisahasrāṇi brāhmaṇā me parigrahe | ṣaṭkarmaniratāḥ śuddhā lobhadambhavivarjitāḥ

Translation

„Sechsundzwanzigtausend Brāhmaṇas stehen unter meiner Obhut—den sechs Pflichten hingegeben, rein und frei von Gier und Heuchelei.“

Word by Word

• ṣaḍviṃśatisahasrāṇi: twenty-six thousand (in number)
• ṣaḍviṃśatisahasrāṇi: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaḍ+viṃśati+sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), बहुवचन; संख्यासमास (determinative: ‘twenty-six thousands’)

• brāhmaṇāḥ: brāhmaṇas
• brāhmaṇāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• parigrahe: in (my) household/retinue; under my charge
• parigrahe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन

• ṣaṭkarmaniratāḥ: engaged in the six duties
• ṣaṭkarmaniratāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ+karman+nirata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; विशेषण; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयभाव: ‘ṣaṭkarmasu nirataḥ’ (engaged in six duties)

• śuddhāḥ: pure
• śuddhāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• lobhadambhavivarjitāḥ: free from greed and hypocrisy
• lobhadambhavivarjitāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: lobha+dambha+vivarjita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; विशेषण; तृतीया-तत्पुरुष: ‘lobhena dambhena ca vivarjitāḥ’ (devoid of greed and hypocrisy)

Speaker

Hārīta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kumāranātha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vast assembly of brāhmaṇas—calm, disciplined, with ritual implements—standing as a pure retinue ready to accompany a leader on pilgrimage.

Characters & Entities

• Hārīta
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True religious leadership is marked by purity, disciplined duty (ṣaṭkarman), and freedom from greed and pretence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse supports the Stambhatīrtha pilgrimage narrative by describing the qualified dharmic company accompanying the journey.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ṣaṭkarman (the six Brāhmaṇical duties) is referenced as the standard of orthodox practice.