Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 46
खञ्जाश्च दर्दुराः षण्ढा वार्द्धुष्याश्च कृषीवलाः । भिन्नवृत्तिकराः पुत्र नियोज्या न कदाचन
khañjāśca dardurāḥ ṣaṇḍhā vārddhuṣyāśca kṛṣīvalāḥ | bhinnavṛttikarāḥ putra niyojyā na kadācana
ഹേ പുത്രാ! മുടന്തർ, ഗുരുരോഗപീഡിതർ, ഷണ്ഢർ (നപുംസകർ), വൃദ്ധർ, കൃഷീവലർ (കൃഷിത്തൊഴിലാളികൾ), കൂടാതെ അനിയമിത ഉപജീവനമുള്ളവർ—ഇവരെ ഒരിക്കലും (അത്തരം കർമ്മങ്ങളിൽ) നിയോഗിക്കരുത്।
Mārkaṇḍeya (context continues)
Scene: A kingly patron consults a ritual preceptor who enumerates exclusions; a group of potential assistants stands aside, while the sacred river and ritual vessels indicate the rite’s setting.
FAQs
The text frames śrāddha as a strict dharmic rite requiring carefully chosen officiants according to traditional norms.
The wider passage remains within the Revā/Narmadā Māhātmya; the rules are given in that tīrtha context.
It lists categories of persons who should not be engaged/appointed for śrāddha, as part of ritual protocol.