Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

शूद्रान्नं शूद्रसंपर्कः शूद्रेण च सहासनम् । शूद्राज्ज्ञानागमश्चैव ज्वलंतमपि पातयेत्

Transliteration

śūdrānnaṃ śūdrasaṃparkaḥ śūdreṇa ca sahāsanam | śūdrājjñānāgamaścaiva jvalaṃtamapi pātayet

Translation

Food received from a Śūdra, close association with a Śūdra, sitting on the same seat with a Śūdra, and receiving instruction from a Śūdra as an authoritative source of knowledge—these, it is said, can bring down even one who burns bright in austerity and purity.

Word by Word

• शूद्रान्नम्: Shudra's food
• शूद्रान्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म) (पातयेत् इत्यस्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र + अन्न (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• शूद्रसंपर्कः: contact with a Shudra
• शूद्रसंपर्कः: Karma (Object/कर्म) (पातयेत् इत्यस्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र + संपर्क (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः — 'शूद्रेण सह संपर्कः'

• शूद्रेण: with a Shudra
• शूद्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• सहासनम्: sitting together (with him)
• सहासनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म) (पातयेत् इत्यस्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सह + आसन (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः — 'सह आसनम्' = 'sitting together'

• शूद्रात्: from a Shudra
• शूद्रात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Ablative/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

• ज्ञानागमः: learning/knowledge received
• ज्ञानागमः: Karma (Object/कर्म) (पातयेत् इत्यस्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान + आगम (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः — 'ज्ञानस्य आगमः' = 'acquisition of knowledge'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis)

• ज्वलन्तम्: burning
• ज्वलन्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म) (पातयेत् इत्यस्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ज्वल् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्यय वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle) — 'burning'

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (concessive/also)

• पातयेत्: should cause to fall / should bring down
• पातयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत् (धातु) (णिच् causative: पातय-)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), तृतीयपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative) — 'should cause to fall'

Speaker

Unknown (Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya narration; likely a Purāṇic narrator addressing a listener within the Prabhāsa cycle)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four symbolic vignettes: (1) accepting a bowl of food, (2) close companionship, (3) sharing a seat, (4) receiving instruction—each shown as a chain pulling down a radiant ascetic whose aura dims.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It emphasizes safeguarding ritual and ethical purity through disciplined associations, diet, and sources of instruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader context is the glorification of Prabhāsa Kṣetra (Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoidance-based prescriptions: restrictions regarding food, physical proximity, shared seating, and adopting instruction as authoritative.