Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

अथाभावे तु वित्तस्य ये च विप्रा ह्यकिंचनाः । विद्याविनयसंपन्ना ब्राह्मणैर्जर्जरीकृताः

Transliteration

athābhāve tu vittasya ye ca viprā hyakiṃcanāḥ | vidyāvinayasaṃpannā brāhmaṇairjarjarīkṛtāḥ

Translation

ನಂತರ ಧನದ ಅಭಾವವಾದಾಗ, ನಿಜಕ್ಕೂ ಅಕಿಂಚನರಾದರೂ ವಿದ್ಯೆ ಮತ್ತು ವಿನಯದಿಂದ ಸಂಪನ್ನರಾದ ಆ ವಿಪ್ರರು ಇತರ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣರಿಂದ ಹೊಡೆತಕ್ಕೊಳಗಾಗಿ ಜರ್ಜರಿತರಾದರು।

Word by Word

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमसूचक/आरम्भार्थक (sequence/now-then)

• अभावे: in the absence
• अभावे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative of condition)

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

• वित्तस्य: of wealth
• वित्तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

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

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• विप्राः: Brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/हेतौ (indeed/for)

• अकिंचनाः: having nothing/poor
• अकिंचनाः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकिंचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘विप्राः’)

• विद्याविनयसंपन्नाः: endowed with learning and humility
• विद्याविनयसंपन्नाः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक) + विनय (प्रातिपदिक) + संपन्न (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √पद्/पद्यते with सम्, past participial sense)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘विप्राः’); समासः—विद्यया विनयेन च संपन्नाः (endowed with learning and humility)

• ब्राह्मणैः: by Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण (instrumental/agent in passive)

• जर्जरीकृताः: made worn-out/harassed
• जर्जरीकृताः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जर्जरीकृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कृ (धातु) with causative/denominative formation ‘जर्जरी-’ + कृत, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); विशेषण (of ‘विप्राः’)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A small group of calm, poor, learned brāhmaṇas—simple clothing, composed faces—are struck and pushed by other brāhmaṇas; the contrast between serenity and brutality is central.

Characters & Entities

• Viprāḥ/Brāhmaṇāḥ

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Learning and humility deserve honor; harming the virtuous—especially in a sacred place—is a grave lapse of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, whose narratives often teach right conduct for pilgrims and donors.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual; the verse highlights adharma arising around wealth and status.