Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

क्रकचेन तु छिद्यन्ते य इमे द्विजसत्तम । अभक्ष्यनिरता ह्येते स्वधर्मस्य विदूषकाः

Transliteration

krakacena tu chidyante ya ime dvijasattama | abhakṣyaniratā hyete svadharmasya vidūṣakāḥ

Translation

Ô meilleur des deux-fois-nés, ceux-ci sont coupés par des scies : ceux qui se délectent d'aliments interdits et souillent leur propre dharma.

Word by Word

• क्रकचेन: with a saw
• क्रकचेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रकच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण (instrument)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (but/indeed)

• छिद्यन्ते: are cut
• छिद्यन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √छिद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• इमे: these
• इमे: Apposition (विशेषण/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; निर्देशक सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• द्विज-सत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विज-सत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; ‘श्रेष्ठतम’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष समास; संबोधन

• अभक्ष्य-निरताः: engaged in eating what is forbidden
• अभक्ष्य-निरताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + निरत (कृदन्त; √रम्/√रि? ‘निरत’ as past participle used adjectivally)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘निरत’ = engaged; समासः (तत्पुरुष)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थक निपात (for/indeed)

• एते: these (people)
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; निर्देशक सर्वनाम

• स्व-धर्मस्य: of their own duty/law
• स्व-धर्मस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष समास; ‘one’s own dharma’ (genitive)

• विदूषकाः: corrupters/defilers
• विदूषकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदूषक (प्रातिपदिक; from √दूष् with vi-)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

Speaker

Yama

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-sattama (addressed brāhmaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic, otherworldly tableau: sinners who relish forbidden foods are shown being cut by saws, while a brāhmaṇa listener receives the warning in a sacred-kṣetra setting.

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Self-discipline in diet and conduct preserves dharma; indulging in prohibited acts corrodes one’s own spiritual order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction is embedded in the Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, supporting the dharmic purity expected in a sacred kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; it implies adherence to āhāra-niyama (dietary restraints) as part of svadharma.