Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

अनर्हा ये च निर्दिष्टाः शृणु तानपि वच्मि ते । हीनांगानधिकांगांश्च सर्वभाक्षन्निराकृतीन्

Transliteration

anarhā ye ca nirdiṣṭāḥ śṛṇu tānapi vacmi te | hīnāṃgānadhikāṃgāṃśca sarvabhākṣannirākṛtīn

Translation

അനർഹരെന്ന് നിർദ്ദേശിക്കപ്പെട്ടവരെയും കേൾക്കുക—ഞാൻ പറയുന്നു: ഹീനാംഗന്മാർ, അധികാംഗന്മാർ, വിവേചനമില്ലാതെ എല്ലാം ഭക്ഷിക്കുന്നവർ, കൂടാതെ വികൃത/അസഹ്യ സ്വഭാവമുള്ളവർ—ഇവരെ ഒഴിവാക്കണം।

Word by Word

• अनर्हाः: unworthy
• अनर्हाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनर्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (masc. nom. pl.)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

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

• निर्दिष्टाः: have been specified
• निर्दिष्टाः: Karta (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + दिष्ट (कृदन्त; दिश् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (PPP: ‘having been indicated’)

• शृणु: listen
• शृणु: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (hear!)

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (masc. acc. pl.)

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

• वच्मि: I tell
• वच्मि: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (I say)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-एकवचन रूपम्; अत्र चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान) ‘तुभ्यम्’ (to you)

• हीनाङ्गान्: those with missing limbs
• हीनाङ्गान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘हीनानि अङ्गानि यस्य’ इति बहुव्रीहिः; विशेषणम् (masc. acc. pl.)

• अधिकाङ्गान्: those with extra limbs
• अधिकाङ्गान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘अधिकानि अङ्गानि यस्य’ इति बहुव्रीहिः; विशेषणम् (masc. acc. pl.)

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

• सर्वभाक्षान्: those who eat everything (indiscriminate eaters)
• सर्वभाक्षान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + भक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘सर्वं भक्षयति’/‘सर्वभक्षः’ इति बहुव्रीहिः; विशेषणम् (masc. acc. pl.)

• निराकृतीन्: rejected/repulsive persons
• निराकृतीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘निराकृत’ अर्थे विशेषण-प्रयोगः (masc. acc. pl.; rejected/repulsive)

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (implied from surrounding address)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage warns a king; in the background, a steward gently turns away unsuitable invitees while guiding qualified brāhmaṇas toward the śrāddha seating—emphasizing discernment without cruelty.

Characters & Entities

• Rājan (King)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha emphasizes discernment: the sanctity of the rite is protected by careful selection and rejection of unsuitable recipients.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse lists general exclusions for the rite.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It prescribes rejecting certain categories deemed unfit, including indiscriminate eaters and those described as unsuitable in conduct/appearance.