Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

अतो जगत्स्थितं सर्वं ब्राह्मणोऽर्हति नापरः । सदाचारो हि सर्वार्हो नाचाराद्विच्युतः पुनः

Transliteration

ato jagatsthitaṃ sarvaṃ brāhmaṇo'rhati nāparaḥ | sadācāro hi sarvārho nācārādvicyutaḥ punaḥ

Translation

Therefore the stability of the whole world rests upon dharma, and the Brāhmaṇa is worthy of honor—none other so; for one established in good conduct is worthy of all honor, but one fallen from conduct is not worthy again.

Word by Word

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu/Conclusion marker (हेतु/निगमन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—तस्मात्/अतः (therefore)

• जगत्स्थितम्: established in the world
• जगत्स्थितम्: Predicate/Qualifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जगत् + स्थित (प्रातिपदिक; √स्था (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भाव—‘जगति स्थितम्’ (that which is established in the world)

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनामसदृश-विशेषण, यहाँ ‘समस्तं’

• ब्राह्मणः: the Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अर्हति: is worthy/deserves
• अर्हति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अपरः: another (person)
• अपरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘अन्यः’

• सदाचारः: good conduct
• सदाचारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् + आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष—‘सत् आचारः’ (good conduct)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात—कारण/अवधारण (indeed/for)

• सर्वार्हः: worthy of all (honour)
• सर्वार्हः: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + अर्ह (प्रातिपदिक; √अर्ह्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘सर्वेषां अर्हः’ (worthy of all)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• आचारात्: from conduct
• आचारात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• विच्युतः: fallen away
• विच्युतः: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + √च्युत्/√च्यु (धातु) + क्त
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘विच्युत’ = fallen away

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—पुनरुक्ति/कालवाचक (again/further)

Speaker

Unspecified (Dharmāraṇyakhaṇḍa narrative voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic balance of the world upheld by a pillar labeled ‘sadācāra’; a brāhmaṇa of pure conduct receives respectful offerings, while a figure fallen from conduct stands aside, unhonored.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Honor is ultimately tied to sadācāra (right conduct); without conduct, status and merit collapse.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is praised in this verse; it teaches universal dharma within the Dharmāraṇya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the prescription is ethical—remain established in sadācāra.