Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

कृषीवलाः शस्त्रधरा निर्देवा जिह्मवृत्तयः । न जानंति परं धर्मं ज्ञानवैराग्यलक्षणम्

Transliteration

kṛṣīvalāḥ śastradharā nirdevā jihmavṛttayaḥ | na jānaṃti paraṃ dharmaṃ jñānavairāgyalakṣaṇam

Translation

彼らはただの耕作者であり武器を帯びる者、神々への敬虔を欠き、行いは曲がっている。智慧と離欲を相とする上位のダルマを知らない。

Word by Word

• कृषीवलाः: farmers/ploughmen
• कृषीवलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣīvala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• शस्त्रधराः: weapon-bearers
• शस्त्रधराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śastra-dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• निर्देवाः: without gods (irreligious)
• निर्देवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• जिह्मवृत्तयः: of crooked conduct
• जिह्मवृत्तयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jihma-vṛtti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

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

• जानन्ति: know
• जानन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम् (Plural)

• परम्: supreme/highest
• परम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• धर्मम्: dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• ज्ञानवैराग्यलक्षणम्: characterized by knowledge and dispassion
• ज्ञानवैराग्यलक्षणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñāna-vairāgya-lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (धर्मस्य)

Speaker

Narrator of the Brahmottarakhaṇḍa (contextual Purāṇic narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bāṣkala-grāma

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic tableau: farmers and warriors stand in shadow, while a luminous path labeled ‘jñāna’ and ‘vairāgya’ rises toward a serene summit; a deity icon or liṅga appears neglected in the background, awaiting restoration.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Higher dharma is not mere worldly identity or power; it is recognized by knowledge (jñāna) and detachment (vairāgya).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse continues the moral description of the narrative’s setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed; the verse sets a doctrinal benchmark for “para-dharma” as jñāna and vairāgya.