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

Ayant obtenu une naissance dans une lignée de Brāhmaṇas, on doit éviter le saṅkara (mélange impropre). La naissance humaine est rare dans le monde, et l'état de Brāhmaṇa est encore plus rare et supérieur.

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.