Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

न ब्राह्मणसमः कश्चित्त्रैलोक्ये सचराचरे । दत्तोपवीते ब्रह्मण्ये सुप्ते देवे जनार्दने

Transliteration

na brāhmaṇasamaḥ kaścittrailokye sacarācare | dattopavīte brahmaṇye supte deve janārdane

Translation

In den drei Welten, mit allem Beweglichen und Unbeweglichen, ist niemand einem Brāhmaṇa gleich—zumal wenn ihm die heilige Schnur (yajñopavīta) verliehen wurde, wenn er Brahman ergeben ist und wenn Herr Janārdana (Viṣṇu) im mystischen Schlaf ruht.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• ब्राह्मणसमः: equal to a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणसमः: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (ब्राह्मणेन समः)

• कश्चित्: anyone
• कश्चित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• त्रैलोक्ये: in the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रैलोक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सचराचरे: with the moving and the unmoving
• सचराचरे: Visheshana (Qualifier of त्रैलोक्ये/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + चर (प्रातिपदिक) + अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (चर + अचर), उपपद-पूर्वक (स- = सहित)

• दत्तोपवीते: (when) the sacred thread is bestowed/worn
• दत्तोपवीते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दत्त (कृदन्त; दा धातु, क्त) + उपवीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (दत्तं उपवीतं यस्य/यत्र)

• ब्रह्मण्ये: in/for the Brahminical (rite/state)
• ब्रह्मण्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• सुप्ते: when (he) is asleep
• सुप्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुप्त (कृदन्त; स्वप् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• देवे: in the god
• देवे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• जनार्दने: in Janārdana (Vishnu)
• जनार्दने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विष्णोः नाम

Speaker

Sūta (deduced: Nāgara Khaṇḍa māhātmya narration style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand cosmic tableau: Viṣṇu (Janārdana) reclines in yoganidrā on Śeṣa over the ocean; in the foreground, a serene brāhmaṇa with shining upavīta and Vedic manuscript stands as dharma’s pillar; the three worlds appear as miniature spheres around them, emphasizing ‘none equal’.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Upavīta
• Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• Trailokya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It extols consecrated Vedic life (marked by upavīta and Brahman-devotion) as a unique dharmic pillar in the cosmos.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it supports the chapter’s broader māhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Receiving the upavīta (linked with upanayana saṃskāra) is implied as a key consecration.