Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

विप्रयोनिं समासाद्य संकरं परिवर्जयेत् । मानुष्यं दुर्लभं लोके ब्राह्मण्यमधिकं ततः

Transliteration

viprayoniṃ samāsādya saṃkaraṃ parivarjayet | mānuṣyaṃ durlabhaṃ loke brāhmaṇyamadhikaṃ tataḥ

Translation

Having attained birth in a Brāhmaṇa lineage, one should avoid saṅkara (improper mixing). Human birth is rare in the world, and Brāhmaṇahood is rarer still and higher than that.

Word by Word

• विप्रयोनिम्: Brahmin birth; Brahmin lineage
• विप्रयोनिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘विप्रस्य योनि’ (Brahmin birth/womb)

• समासाद्य: having attained; after obtaining
• समासाद्य: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial participle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-आ-√सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund); अव्ययभावः—‘having attained/after reaching’

• संकरम्: intermixture; degradation
• संकरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘mixture/degeneracy (social mixing)’

• परिवर्जयेत्: should avoid
• परिवर्जयेत्: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√वृज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should avoid’

• मानुष्यम्: human birth; humanity
• मानुष्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘human state/birth’

• दुर्लभम्: rare; hard to obtain
• दुर्लभम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (agreeing with मानुष्यम्)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरणम्

• ब्राह्मण्यम्: Brahminhood
• ब्राह्मण्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘Brahminhood/status of a Brahmin’

• अधिकम्: higher; superior
• अधिकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (agreeing with ब्राह्मण्यम्)

• ततः: than that; thereafter
• ततः: Comparison marker (अपादानार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-प्रभव)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्-अर्थे (comparative/ablatival adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A learned brāhmaṇa pilgrim at Prabhāsa stands near a tīrtha-ghāṭa, turning away from a disorderly crowd; a calm teacher-figure gestures toward a śāstra palm-leaf and the sacred waters, emphasizing restraint and purity.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rare spiritual opportunity (human/brāhmaṇa birth) should be protected through disciplined associations and conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The counsel is embedded in Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s māhātmya, where sanctity is upheld by strict dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; it prescribes avoidance of saṅkara as a rule of life.