Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

हिंस्रो वृषलपुत्रश्च गणानां चैव याजकः । आचारहीनः क्लीबश्च नित्ययाजनकस्तथा

Transliteration

hiṃsro vṛṣalaputraśca gaṇānāṃ caiva yājakaḥ | ācārahīnaḥ klībaśca nityayājanakastathā

Translation

Der gewalttätige Mann, der Sohn eines Shudra, wer als Priester für (nicht-dharmische) Gruppen dient, wer ohne rechtes Verhalten ist, der Impotente und wer ein Geschäft daraus macht, ständig Opferungen durchzuführen – auch diese werden getadelt.

Word by Word

• hiṃsraḥ: violent, harmful
• hiṃsraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hiṃsra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• vṛṣalaputraḥ: son of a śūdra/low-born man
• vṛṣalaputraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣala (प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘वृषलस्य पुत्रः’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• gaṇānām: of groups/companies
• gaṇānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय

• yājakaḥ: officiating priest (for hire)
• yājakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yājaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘याजक’ (one who performs sacrifices for others)

• ācārahīnaḥ: devoid of proper conduct
• ācārahīnaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ācāra (प्रातिपदिक) + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-रहितार्थ/तत्पुरुष: ‘आचारात् हीनः’ (devoid of conduct)

• klībaḥ: impotent/eunuch
• klībaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: klība (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• nityayājanakaḥ: habitual sacrificer/officiant
• nityayājanakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक) + yājanaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष: ‘नित्यं याजनं करोति’ (one who constantly performs/arranges sacrifices)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred fire-altar scene at a coastal tīrtha: a calm, disciplined priest is contrasted with a greedy ritualist counting coins; a violent figure with weapon stands outside the ritual boundary, indicating exclusion from sacred rows.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa-kṣetra
• yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual without ācāra is hollow; dharma values integrity over mere priestly activity, and donors should support true virtue.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where right ritual and right conduct are presented as central to pilgrimage merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A dāna guideline: avoid recipients whose ritual service is commercialized or whose conduct is condemned.