Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

सदाचारास्तु विख्याता वैष्णवा बहुवृ त्तयः । रोमभिर्बहुभिर्व्याप्ताः कृष्णवर्णास्तु वाडवाः

Transliteration

sadācārāstu vikhyātā vaiṣṇavā bahuvṛ ttayaḥ | romabhirbahubhirvyāptāḥ kṛṣṇavarṇāstu vāḍavāḥ

Translation

അവർ സദാചാരത്തിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധർ, വൈഷ്ണവഭക്തർ, അനേകം ശ്രേഷ്ഠവൃത്തികളിൽ ഏർപ്പെട്ടവർ; വാഡവർ ധാരാളം രോമങ്ങളാൽ മൂടപ്പെട്ടവരും കൃഷ്ണവർണ്ണക്കാരുമെന്നു പറയപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• सदाचाराः: people of good conduct
• सदाचाराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदाचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः (कर्मधारय): सत् + आचार (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• विख्याताः: well-known, renowned
• विख्याताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + ख्यात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; धातु: ख्या (प्रख्याने) उपसर्ग: वि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• वैष्णवाः: Vaiṣṇavas (devotees of Viṣṇu)
• वैष्णवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• बहुवृत्तयः: of many modes/occupations; of varied conduct
• बहुवृत्तयः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः (कर्मधारय): बह्वी वृत्तिः येषां/बहुवृत्तिः (Feminine, Nominative, Plural; used adjectivally)

• रोमभिः: with hairs
• रोमभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Plural)

• बहुभिः: many
• बहुभिः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with रोमभिः) (Neuter, Instrumental, Plural)

• व्याप्ताः: covered, pervaded
• व्याप्ताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + आप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; धातु: आप् (व्याप्तौ) उपसर्ग: वि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• कृष्णवर्णाः: black-colored
• कृष्णवर्णाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः (कर्मधारय): कृष्णः वर्णः येषां (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (particle)

• वाडवाः: the Vāḍavas
• वाडवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाडव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

Speaker

Unspecified (Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa narrative voice; likely Sūta-type purāṇic narrator)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A community scene: dark-complexioned, hair-covered figures engaged in multiple honest occupations—farming, trade, temple service—while offering tulasī and lamps to Viṣṇu; the mood is orderly and ethical.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Vāḍava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is reflected in sadācāra and devotion (bhakti); outer description is secondary to the praised ethical and devotional life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is descriptive—conduct, devotion, and social characterization.