Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

न तत्र ब्राह्मणाचाराः श्रुतिस्मृतिपराङ्मुखाः । जपस्वाध्यायरहिताः परस्त्री विषयातुराः

Transliteration

na tatra brāhmaṇācārāḥ śrutismṛtiparāṅmukhāḥ | japasvādhyāyarahitāḥ parastrī viṣayāturāḥ

Translation

Là, les observances de la conduite brāhmanique font défaut ; ils se détournent de la Śruti et de la Smṛti, sont privés de japa et d’étude, et sont tourmentés par le désir de la femme d’autrui et des objets des sens.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपातः (negation particle)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of place)

• ब्राह्मणाचाराः: Brahminical conduct/practices
• ब्राह्मणाचाराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa-ācāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• श्रुतिस्मृतिपराङ्मुखाः: turned away from Śruti and Smṛti
• श्रुतिस्मृतिपराङ्मुखाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śruti-smṛti-parāṅmukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• जपस्वाध्यायरहिताः: devoid of japa and self-study
• जपस्वाध्यायरहिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: japa-svādhyāya-rahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्; (जप + स्वाध्याय) इति द्वन्द्वः, तदनन्तरं 'रहित' इति तत्पुरुषार्थः

• परस्त्री: another’s wife
• परस्त्री: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para-strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• विषयातुराः: afflicted by sense-objects (sensual)
• विषयातुराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viṣaya-ātura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Narrator of the Brahmottarakhaṇḍa (contextual Purāṇic narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bāṣkala-grāma

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Contrasting imagery: neglected Vedic study hall with silent students; figures chasing sense-objects; a lone ascetic or teacher stands as a potential corrective presence.

Characters & Entities

• Śruti
• Smṛti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma declines when scripture-guided discipline (śruti-smṛti, japa, svādhyāya) is abandoned and desire rules conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No; this verse critiques behavior within the story’s locale rather than praising a pilgrimage site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Japa and svādhyāya are highlighted as essential practices whose absence marks spiritual decline.