Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणः पतनीयेषु वर्तमानो विकर्मसु । दाम्भिको दुष्कृतप्रायः स च शूद्रसमः स्मृतः

Transliteration

brāhmaṇaḥ patanīyeṣu vartamāno vikarmasu | dāmbhiko duṣkṛtaprāyaḥ sa ca śūdrasamaḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

Ein brāhmaṇa, der in entwürdigenden, zum Fall führenden Handlungen (pātana) lebt, seinen Unterhalt durch verbotene Taten (vikarma) bestreitet, heuchlerisch ist und meist dem Unrecht zugetan—ein solcher gilt in der dharmischen Beurteilung als einem śūdra gleich.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणः: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• पतनीयेषु: in (acts) causing downfall
• पतनीयेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतनीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• वर्तमानः: engaged/abiding
• वर्तमानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक-कर्तरि-शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• विकर्मसु: in forbidden acts
• विकर्मसु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन

• दाम्भिकः: hypocritical/pretentious
• दाम्भिकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दाम्भिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• दुष्कृतप्रायः: mostly given to evil deeds
• दुष्कृतप्रायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्कृत (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive-determinative): 'दुष्कृतस्य प्रायः' = mostly sinful; विशेषण

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शूद्रसमः: equal to a Śūdra
• शूद्रसमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: 'शूद्र इव समः' (equal to a Śūdra); विशेषण

• स्मृतः: is considered/said
• स्मृतः: Karma (कर्म) / Predicative
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A hypocritical priestly figure is shown turning away from the shrine, while a sincere pilgrim performs humble service; a sage points to a dharma-text, illustrating that conduct defines spiritual worth at Prabhāsa.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is safeguarded by integrity: hypocrisy and forbidden conduct negate spiritual authority, regardless of birth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, whose Māhātmya includes practical dharma instructions for right living in a sacred place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It sets a dharmic criterion: a brāhmaṇa living by vikarma and patanīya acts is assessed as ‘śūdra-like’ for ritual and ethical considerations.