Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

गोरक्षकान्वणिजकांस्तथा कारुकुशीलवान् । स्पृश्यान्वार्धुषिकांश्चैव विप्रान्शूद्रवदाचरेत्

Transliteration

gorakṣakānvaṇijakāṃstathā kārukuśīlavān | spṛśyānvārdhuṣikāṃścaiva viprānśūdravadācaret

Translation

Cow-protectors, traders, artisans and performers, as well as those deemed ‘touchable’ yet socially degraded, and usurers—such persons, even if born as brāhmaṇas, are to be treated like śūdras in matters of ritual conduct.

Word by Word

• गो-रक्षकान्: cow-protectors
• गो-रक्षकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + रक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन — Accusative Plural; समासः: तत्पुरुष (गवां रक्षकाः)

• वणिजकान्: traders/merchants
• वणिजकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वणिजक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन — Accusative Plural

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha/Discourse adverb
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — manner adverb (in like manner/also)

• कारु-कुशीलवान्: artisans and performers/bards
• कारु-कुशीलवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारु (प्रातिपदिक) + कुशीलव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन — Accusative Plural; समासः: द्वन्द्व (कारवः च कुशीलवाः च)

• स्पृश्यान्: those who are touchable (i.e., not untouchables)
• स्पृश्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पृश्य (कृदन्त, √स्पृश्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन — Accusative Plural (those who are ‘touchable’/fit to be touched)

• वार्धुषिकान्: moneylenders/usurers
• वार्धुषिकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्धुषिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन — Accusative Plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — समुच्चय/coordination conjunction

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — अवधारण/emphatic particle

• विप्रान्: Brahmins
• विप्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन — Accusative Plural

• शूद्रवत्: like a Śūdra
• शूद्रवत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय — उपमान/तुल्यतार्थक अव्यय (like a Śūdra)

• आचरेत्: should behave/treat
• आचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — 3rd person singular optative (should behave/treat)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At a tīrtha assembly, a dharma-ācārya instructs pilgrims about ritual boundaries; groups of cowherds, traders, artisans, performers, and moneylenders stand listening, with the Somnātha shrine in the distance—an image of social order under sacred law.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Purāṇic dharma, ritual status is linked to conduct and livelihood; one’s ācāra can override nominal birth-identity in ritual contexts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, where dharma for pilgrims and residents is outlined as part of the site’s Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It prescribes how certain persons (including brāhmaṇas by birth) are to be treated for ritual dealings—‘as a śūdra’—based on specified livelihoods.