Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

सुमूर्खोपि भवेद्विद्वानकुलीनोऽपि सत्कुलः । यस्य वित्तं भवे द्धर्म्ये विपरीतमतोऽन्यथा

Transliteration

sumūrkhopi bhavedvidvānakulīno'pi satkulaḥ | yasya vittaṃ bhave ddharmye viparītamato'nyathā

Translation

ധാർമ്മികമായ മാർഗ്ഗത്തിൽ സമ്പത്ത് ഉള്ളവനെ മഹാമൂഢനാണെങ്കിലും പണ്ഡിതനായി കണക്കാക്കും; കുലമില്ലാത്തവനാണെങ്കിലും സത്കുലീനനായി മാനിക്കും. അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ഇതിന്റെ വിപരീതം.

Word by Word

• सुमूर्खः: a great fool
• सुमूर्खः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + मूर्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Emphasis (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (Particle: concessive 'even')

• भवेत्: may become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• विद्वान्: a learned man
• विद्वान्: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अकुलीनः: not noble-born
• अकुलीनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + कुलीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• अपि: even
• अपि: Emphasis (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (Particle: 'even')

• सत्कुलः: of good family
• सत्कुलः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् + कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masc/Neut), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• वित्तम्: wealth
• वित्तम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• भवेत्: may be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• धर्म्ये: in righteousness / in a righteous (state)
• धर्म्ये: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (अधिकरणे)

• विपरीतम्: contrary (to that)
• विपरीतम्: Kriya-visheshana (Manner adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विपरीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणवत् नपुंसक-एकवचन (Adverbial accusative: 'contrarily')

• अतः: therefore / from this
• अतः: Hetu (Reason marker/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतु/निगमन-अव्यय (Conclusive/causal particle: 'therefore/from this')

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Manner adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय (Adverb: 'otherwise')

Speaker

Narrative voice (contextual; speaker not explicitly marked in this verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A public assembly: a formerly mocked person is honored because his wealth is known to be righteous; a ‘fool’ is treated as learned, a low-born is welcomed among the noble. In a contrasting vignette, ill-gotten wealth brings disgrace.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Society often judges by wealth; therefore wealth must be dharmically obtained, or it becomes a cause of inversion and disgrace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; it emphasizes dharmic livelihood.