Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

प्रतोदो वैश्यया धार्यो वासोंतः शूद्रया तथा । असवर्णा स्वेष विधिः स्मृतौ दृष्टश्च वेदने

Transliteration

pratodo vaiśyayā dhāryo vāsoṃtaḥ śūdrayā tathā | asavarṇā sveṣa vidhiḥ smṛtau dṛṣṭaśca vedane

Translation

വൈശ്യസ്ത്രീയുടെ കാര്യത്തിൽ ശിക്ഷയായി ‘പ്രതോദ’ (അങ്കുശം) ധരിക്കണം; ശൂദ്രസ്ത്രീയുടെ കാര്യത്തിൽ അതുപോലെ ‘വാസോന്ത’ എന്ന ശിക്ഷ. അസവർണ്ണ സ്ത്രീക്കായി സ്മൃതികളിലും വേദസംബന്ധ നിയമബോധത്തിലും വ്യത്യസ്ത വിധി കാണപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• pratodaḥ: a goad/whip
• pratodaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratoda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• vaiśyayā: by a Vaiśya woman
• vaiśyayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/तृतीया), एकवचन

• dhāryaḥ: should be held
• dhāryaḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhṛ (धृ, धातु)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विध्यर्थः

• vāsaḥ-antaḥ: the end/hem of a garment
• vāsaḥ-antaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsaḥ (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष) ‘वाससः अन्तः’ (=वस्त्रान्तः/वस्त्रखण्डः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• śūdrayā: by a Śūdra woman
• śūdrayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūdrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/तृतीया), एकवचन

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-विशेषण (adverb) ‘तथा’ (=likewise)

• asavarṇā: of a different varṇa
• asavarṇā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: asavarṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन; नञ्-समासान्त/उपसर्गयुक्त विशेषणम्

• sveṣaḥ: one’s own / in one’s own case
• sveṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sveṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन; पाठभेदसम्भवः (स्वेष/स्वेषु इत्यादि)

• vidhiḥ: rule / injunction
• vidhiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• smṛtau: in the Smṛti
• smṛtau: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: smṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• dṛṣṭaḥ: is seen/attested
• dṛṣṭaḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश्, धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘दृष्टः’ (=seen/attested)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• vedane: in the Veda/vedic teaching
• vedane: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vedana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘वेदने’ = वेदेषु/वेदवचनेषु इत्यर्थे (पाठ/अर्थ-व्याप्तिः)

Speaker

Parāśara

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A rāja-dharma scene: a judge-king with śāstra scrolls; symbolic implements (goad for Vaiśya, ‘vāsoṃta’ as a labeled punitive emblem) displayed like legal insignia; scribes recording; the Veda/Smṛti authority shown as two manuscripts on a pedestal.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is presented as regulated by scriptural norms (smṛti/veda), emphasizing accountability and restraint in household society.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the focus remains juridical-ethical instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse continues listing punishments and notes separate rules for inter-varṇa cases per smṛti/veda.