Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

पृथग्भूतैर्द्विजातीनां तीर्थे कार्यं नराधिप । ब्रह्मक्षत्रविशां वापि स्त्रीशूद्राणां तथैव च

Transliteration

pṛthagbhūtairdvijātīnāṃ tīrthe kāryaṃ narādhipa | brahmakṣatraviśāṃ vāpi strīśūdrāṇāṃ tathaiva ca

Translation

ഹേ നരാധിപാ! തീർത്ഥത്തിൽ ദ്വിജന്മാരുടെ കർമങ്ങൾ വേർതിരിച്ച് ആചരിക്കണം; ബ്രാഹ്മണ-ക്ഷത്രിയ-വൈശ്യർക്കും, അതുപോലെ സ്ത്രീകൾക്കും ശൂദ്രർക്കും കൂടി।

Word by Word

• पृथग्भूतैः: by those who are separated (distinct)
• पृथग्भूतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथग्भूत (प्रातिपदिक) < पृथक् (अव्यय) + भूत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्—‘पृथक्-भूत’ = पृथक् स्थित/विभक्त

• द्विजातीनाम्: of the twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
• द्विजातीनाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचनम्

• तीर्थे: at the sacred ford/pilgrimage place
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (अधिकरण), एकवचनम्

• कार्यम्: (it is) to be done / should be performed
• कार्यम्: Karma/Predicate nominal (Object/प्रयोज्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक) < कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; भाववाचकं—‘कर्तव्यम्’ (to be done)

• नराधिप: O king (lord of men)
• नराधिप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप (प्रातिपदिक) < नर + अधिप
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचनम्

• ब्रह्मक्षत्रविशाम्: of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas
• ब्रह्मक्षत्रविशाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + क्षत्र + विश् (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचनम्; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः—ब्राह्मण-क्षत्रिय-वैश्यानाम्

• वा: or
• वा: Discourse particle (Avyaya)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्ययम् (disjunctive particle)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Discourse particle (Avyaya)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्ययम् (also/even)

• स्त्रीशूद्राणाम्: of women and Shudras
• स्त्रीशूद्राणाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री + शूद्र (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचनम्; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः—स्त्रीणां शूद्राणां च

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Adverbial (Avyaya)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (in that manner/so)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Emphasis particle (Avyaya)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्ययम् (emphatic/only)

• च: and
• च: Connector (Avyaya)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

Speaker

Deductively: Purāṇic narrator addressing a king

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (general Revākhaṇḍa setting; specific sub-tīrtha not named in this verse)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: narādhipa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A riverbank tīrtha with groups of pilgrims arranged by rite: dvijas performing mantra-ācamanam and sankalpa, others offering flowers, lamps, and water; a king listens to a sage explaining procedure.

Characters & Entities

• Dvijāti
• Brāhmaṇa
• Kṣatriya
• Vaiśya
• Strī (women)
• Śūdra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage dharma includes orderly performance of rites, respecting prescribed distinctions while affirming participation across society.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā Khaṇḍa tīrtha whose ritual procedures (tīrtha-kārya) are being outlined.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

That tīrtha-rites be performed in distinct/appropriate ways for different social groups (dvijātis and others, including women and śūdras).