Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

एतान्वै गर्हिताचारानपांक्तेयान्द्विजाधमान् । द्विजानां सति लाभे तू भयत्रैव विवर्जयेत्

Transliteration

etānvai garhitācārānapāṃkteyāndvijādhamān | dvijānāṃ sati lābhe tū bhayatraiva vivarjayet

Translation

Diese – deren Verhalten verwerflich ist, die untauglich sind, in der Opferreihe zu sitzen (apāṅkteya), die Niedrigsten unter den Zweimalgeborenen – wenn würdige Zweimalgeborene verfügbar sind, sollte man sie auf jede Weise meiden.

Word by Word

• etān: these (persons)
• etān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम-शब्दः

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (emphatic particle)

• garhita-ācārān: of censured conduct
• garhita-ācārān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: garhita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + ācāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (गर्हितः आचारः येषाम्/गर्हित-आचाराः)

• apāṃkteyān: unfit to sit in the dining row (impure)
• apāṃkteyān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apāṃkteya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• dvija-adhamān: base/lowest among twice-born
• dvija-adhamān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + adhama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (अधमा द्विजाः)

• dvijānām: of the twice-born
• dvijānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive), बहुवचनम्

• sati: when there is/being present
• sati: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sat (कृदन्त; शतृ/वर्तमानकृदन्त)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative), एकवचनम्; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• lābhe: in the gain/availability
• lābhe: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lābha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सति-सप्तमी-प्रयोगे सह

• tu: but
• tu: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (contrastive particle)

• bhayatra: in fear
• bhayatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (भये)

• eva: only/indeed
• eva: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपातः (restrictive particle)

• vivarjayet: should avoid/exclude
• vivarjayet: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√vṛj (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A formal śrāddha/yajña seating row (pāṅkti) with qualified dvijas seated; outside the row stand censured figures. The donor gestures respectfully but firmly, following the dharma advisor’s instruction.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa-kṣetra
• dvija
• apāṅkteya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma prioritizes character: social or ritual status without right conduct is rejected, especially in sacred contexts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where the text provides practical dharma for pilgrims performing charity and rites.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A clear prescription for dāna/feasting contexts: avoid apāṅkteya persons when qualified recipients are present.