Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

स्थानिकं मूर्खमप्येवमलाभे गुणिनामपि । हीनांगमधिकांगं वा दूषितं नो तथा परम्

Transliteration

sthānikaṃ mūrkhamapyevamalābhe guṇināmapi | hīnāṃgamadhikāṃgaṃ vā dūṣitaṃ no tathā param

Translation

ഗുണികളായ (യോഗ്യ) ബ്രാഹ്മണർ ലഭ്യമല്ലെങ്കിൽ, നാട്ടുകാരൻ—അജ്ഞാനിയായാലും—സ്വീകരിക്കാം; കാരണം ദൂഷിതൻ (അപവിത്രൻ), അവയവക്കുറവോ അധികാവയവമോ ഉണ്ടായാലും, അതിലധികം ഹാനികരനാകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• स्थानिकम्: a local (resident)
• स्थानिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थानिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म (आहर्तव्यः इत्यर्थे पूर्वश्लोकानुसारेण)

• मूर्खम्: foolish
• मूर्खम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (स्थानिकम्/ब्राह्मणम् implied)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-निपात (even/also)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Avyaya (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb: thus)

• अलाभे: when there is no obtaining (of)
• अलाभे: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलाभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (in the absence/non-availability)

• गुणिनाम्: of qualified (persons)
• गुणिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (of the virtuous/qualified)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-निपात

• हीनाङ्गम्: one with a deficient limb / defective-bodied
• हीनाङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुल्लिङ्ग (contextually accusative singular), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (हीनम् अङ्गम् यस्य/यत्)

• अधिकाङ्गम्: one with an extra limb / over-limbed
• अधिकाङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (अधिकम् अङ्गम् यस्य/यत्)

• वा: or
• वा: Avyaya (Disjunction/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• दूषितम्: tainted, blemished
• दूषितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दूषित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √दूष् धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (ब्राह्मणम् implied)

• नः: for us / to us
• नः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नः (अव्यय/सर्वनाम)
• Form: अस्मद्-शब्दस्य षष्ठी/चतुर्थी बहुवचन-रूपम् (Gen./Dat. plural: 'of us/to us'); अत्र निषेधार्थे 'न' इति पाठभेद सम्भवः, परन्तु 'नः' स्वीकृतम्

• तथा: so, likewise
• तथा: Avyaya (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/उपमानवाचक (so, in that way)

• परम्: another (option) / superior (one)
• परम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्/विशेष्यभावे (something 'other/superior'—context: not acceptable)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim consults elders at a ghat: a humble local brāhmaṇa stands to one side; a visibly ‘tainted’ figure is refused. The scene emphasizes discernment rather than spectacle.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When ideal options are absent, dharma permits a pragmatic substitute, but impurity that corrupts the rite should be avoided.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse reflects the tīrtha’s ritual culture (respect for locals) within Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s sacred-place instructions.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

If qualified brāhmaṇas cannot be found, accept a local; but avoid those considered dūṣita (ritually tainted).