Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

वार्धुषिकान्विकर्मस्थाञ्छौचाचारविवर्जि तान् । अतिदीर्घान्कृशान्वापि स्थूलानपि च लोमशान्

Transliteration

vārdhuṣikānvikarmasthāñchaucācāravivarji tān | atidīrghānkṛśānvāpi sthūlānapi ca lomaśān

Translation

Excluez du śrāddha ceux qui vivent de l'usure, ceux qui exercent des métiers interdits, les impurs ; de même ceux qui sont excessivement grands, émaciés, corpulents ou velus.

Word by Word

• वार्धुषिकान्: usurers/money-lenders
• वार्धुषिकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्धुषिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (masc. acc. pl.; profession/character noun)

• विकर्मस्थान्: engaged in forbidden acts
• विकर्मस्थान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकर्म + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘विकर्मणि स्थितः’ इति सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषभावः; विशेषणम् (masc. acc. pl.)

• शौचाचारविवर्जितान्: devoid of purity and proper conduct
• शौचाचारविवर्जितान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शौच + आचार + विवर्जित (कृदन्त; वर्ज् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘शौचाचारात् विवर्जित’ इति पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष (nested); विशेषणम् (masc. acc. pl.)

• अतिदीर्घान्: overly tall/very long
• अतिदीर्घान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय) + दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘अति’पूर्वक-अव्ययीभावसमासः; विशेषणम् (masc. acc. pl.)

• कृशान्: emaciated/thin
• कृशान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (masc. acc. pl.)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

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

• स्थूलान्: fat/stout
• स्थूलान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (masc. acc. pl.)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-निपात (also)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (and)

• लोमशान्: hairy/shaggy
• लोमशान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोमश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (masc. acc. pl.)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; prescriptive dharma passage within Nāgarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual host consults a brāhmaṇa elder with a dharma-grantha; in the background, symbols of usury (coin scales) and ‘vikarma’ (weapons/illicit tools) are shown outside the ritual space; the inner space is clean with water pots and darbha.

Characters & Entities

• Śrāddha
• Pitṛs

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha emphasizes ethical livelihood, cleanliness, and disciplined conduct as outward supports of inner reverence to the Pitṛs.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as a dharma-guideline within a tīrtha-centered section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A restriction on whom to include in śrāddha, highlighting avoidance of prohibited livelihoods and lack of śauca-ācāra.