Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

वस्त्रालंकरणोपेता द्विजभक्तिपरायणाः । ब्रह्मभोज्यपराः सर्वे सर्वे धर्मपरायणाः

Transliteration

vastrālaṃkaraṇopetā dvijabhaktiparāyaṇāḥ | brahmabhojyaparāḥ sarve sarve dharmaparāyaṇāḥ

Translation

അവർ വസ്ത്രാഭരണങ്ങളാൽ അലങ്കൃതർ, ദ്വിജന്മാരുടെ പൂജാഭക്തിയിൽ പരായണർ, ബ്രാഹ്മണർക്കു യോഗ്യമായ ദാനവും ഭോജനവും ചെയ്യുന്നതിൽ തൽപരർ—എല്ലാവരും ധർമ്മപരായണർ.

Word by Word

• वस्त्रालंकरणोपेताः: endowed with clothes and ornaments
• वस्त्रालंकरणोपेताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अलंकरण (प्रातिपदिक) + उपेत (कृदन्त, √इ (धातु) उप- + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम्; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः ‘उपेत’ (possessed/attended by); समासः—वस्त्र-अलंकरण (द्वन्द्व/समाहारार्थे) + उपेत (तत्पुरुषः)

• द्विजभक्तिपरायणाः: devoted to devotion toward the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजभक्तिपरायणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; समासः—द्विज-भक्ति (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) + परायण (तत्पुरुषः)

• ब्रह्मभोज्यपराः: intent on feeding Brahmins / offering food to Brahmins
• ब्रह्मभोज्यपराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + भोज्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √भुज् (धातु) + यत्) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; समासः—ब्रह्म-भोज्य (तत्पुरुषः: ‘ब्रह्मणां भोज्यम्/ब्रह्मभोज्य’) + पर (तत्पुरुषः)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम-शब्दः (pronoun/adjective used substantively)

• सर्वे: all (indeed)
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; पुनरुक्तिः (emphatic repetition)

• धर्मपरायणाः: devoted to dharma
• धर्मपरायणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; समासः—धर्म-परायण (तत्पुरुषः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dharmic community, well-dressed and ornamented, welcomes brāhmaṇas with respectful gestures; vessels of cooked rice, ghee, and offerings are arranged; the atmosphere is orderly and sattvic.

Characters & Entities

• Dvija (twice-born)
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is expressed through generosity and reverence—especially hospitality and support offered to the learned and righteous.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single location is specified; the verse highlights dharmic social conduct within the Dharmāraṇya narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It implies the merit of brāhmaṇa-bhojana (feeding brāhmaṇas) and charitable giving, though without a detailed ritual protocol.