Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

हिंस्रो वृषलपुत्रश्च गणानां चैव याजकः । आचारहीनः क्लीबश्च नित्ययाजनकस्तथा

Transliteration

hiṃsro vṛṣalaputraśca gaṇānāṃ caiva yājakaḥ | ācārahīnaḥ klībaśca nityayājanakastathā

Translation

L'homme violent, le fils d'un śūdra, celui qui sert de prêtre pour des groupes (non dharmiques), celui qui est dépourvu de conduite droite, l'impuissant et celui qui fait commerce d'accomplir continuellement des sacrifices — ceux-ci sont également blâmés.

Word by Word

• hiṃsraḥ: violent, harmful
• hiṃsraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hiṃsra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• vṛṣalaputraḥ: son of a śūdra/low-born man
• vṛṣalaputraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣala (प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘वृषलस्य पुत्रः’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• gaṇānām: of groups/companies
• gaṇānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय

• yājakaḥ: officiating priest (for hire)
• yājakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yājaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘याजक’ (one who performs sacrifices for others)

• ācārahīnaḥ: devoid of proper conduct
• ācārahīnaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ācāra (प्रातिपदिक) + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नञ्-रहितार्थ/तत्पुरुष: ‘आचारात् हीनः’ (devoid of conduct)

• klībaḥ: impotent/eunuch
• klībaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: klība (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• nityayājanakaḥ: habitual sacrificer/officiant
• nityayājanakaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक) + yājanaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष: ‘नित्यं याजनं करोति’ (one who constantly performs/arranges sacrifices)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred fire-altar scene at a coastal tīrtha: a calm, disciplined priest is contrasted with a greedy ritualist counting coins; a violent figure with weapon stands outside the ritual boundary, indicating exclusion from sacred rows.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa-kṣetra
• yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual without ācāra is hollow; dharma values integrity over mere priestly activity, and donors should support true virtue.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where right ritual and right conduct are presented as central to pilgrimage merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A dāna guideline: avoid recipients whose ritual service is commercialized or whose conduct is condemned.