Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

वैश्वदेवेन हीना ये हीनाश्चातिथ्यतोऽपि ये । कर्मणा सर्ववृषला वेदयुक्ता ह्यपि द्विजाः

Transliteration

vaiśvadevena hīnā ye hīnāścātithyato'pi ye | karmaṇā sarvavṛṣalā vedayuktā hyapi dvijāḥ

Translation

Those who neglect the Vaiśvadeva offering and those who also fail in hospitality toward guests—by their conduct they are wholly like vṛṣalas (base men), even if they are twice-born and even if they possess Vedic learning.

Word by Word

• वैश्वदेवेन: by/with the Vaiśvadeva rite
• वैश्वदेवेन: Karaṇa/Hetu (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्वदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/सह), एकवचन (neuter, instrumental, singular)

• हीनाः: devoid of
• हीनाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (masculine, nominative, plural)

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (relative pronoun; masculine, nominative, plural)

• हीनाः: devoid of
• हीनाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (masculine, nominative, plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• आतिथ्यतः: in respect of hospitality
• आतिथ्यतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आतिथ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'as regards/from the standpoint of hospitality')

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (also/even)

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (relative pronoun; masculine, nominative, plural)

• कर्मणा: by deeds/through conduct
• कर्मणा: Hetu/Karaṇa (Cause/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/हेतु), एकवचन (neuter, instrumental, singular)

• सर्ववृषलाः: altogether śūdra-like/base
• सर्ववृषलाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वृषल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (सर्वे वृषलाः) (masculine, nominative, plural)

• वेदयुक्ताः: endowed with the Veda (Veda-knowing)
• वेदयुक्ताः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + युक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (वेदेन युक्ताः) (masculine, nominative, plural)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/कारणार्थक अव्यय (indeed/for)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (even/also)

• द्विजाः: twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (masculine, nominative, plural)

Speaker

Unknown (within Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dvija household near a tīrtha neglects the hearth-offering; an unserved guest stands at the doorway; the sacred fire is dim; sages depict the moral: despite Vedic books, the home’s dharma is empty.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśvadeva
• Atithi (guest)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual learning without daily duty—offerings and hospitality—counts as moral failure; conduct defines dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra remains the frame; the verse teaches how residents/pilgrims should live in a holy region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Maintain Vaiśvadeva (daily offering) and practice ātithya (hospitality to guests).