Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

अथ शास्त्रस्य विप्रोऽपि शस्त्रस्यापि च क्षत्रियः । मां संस्पृशंस्तथा वैश्यः शुद्रः स्वगुरुमेव च

Transliteration

atha śāstrasya vipro'pi śastrasyāpi ca kṣatriyaḥ | māṃ saṃspṛśaṃstathā vaiśyaḥ śudraḥ svagurumeva ca

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ശാസ്ത്രകാര്യത്തിൽ ബ്രാഹ്മണനും ശപഥം സ്വീകരിക്കാം; ശസ്ത്രകാര്യത്തിൽ ക്ഷത്രിയൻ. അതുപോലെ വൈശ്യൻ എന്നെ സ്പർശിച്ച്, ശൂദ്രൻ തന്റെ ഗുരുവിനെ തന്നെ സ്പർശിച്ച് ശപഥം ചെയ്യണം.

Word by Word

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमसूचक/आरम्भसूचक (sequence/transition particle)

• शास्त्रस्य: of scripture/learning
• शास्त्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th); एकवचन

• विप्रः: a brāhmaṇa
• विप्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st); एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (also/even)

• शस्त्रस्य: of weaponry/arms
• शस्त्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th); एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थक (also/even)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• क्षत्रियः: a kṣatriya
• क्षत्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st); एकवचन

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन

• संस्पृशन्: touching
• संस्पृशन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त; शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (in that manner/likewise)

• वैश्यः: a vaiśya
• वैश्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• शूद्रः: a śūdra
• शूद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• स्वगुरुम्: one's own teacher
• स्वगुरुम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: स्वस्य गुरुः); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (only/indeed)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍunandana (addressed in the surrounding passage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal court oath-rite: a brāhmaṇa touches a palm-leaf śāstra, a kṣatriya touches a sword, a vaiśya touches the king/royal emblem, and a śūdra touches his guru’s feet—each taking a solemn vow before a sacred fire.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
• Kṣatriya
• Vaiśya
• Śūdra
• Guru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Truth is upheld through culturally recognized witnesses and responsibilities aligned with one’s station and discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the focus is social-ethical procedure for oath-taking.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Different oath-touchpoints are given: brāhmaṇa for śāstra matters, kṣatriya for śastra matters, vaiśya touching the designated sacred witness-object, and śūdra touching his guru.