Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

राजोवाच । उपदेशाधिकारोऽस्ति ब्राह्मणानां महात्मनाम् । दातुं नैव ग्रहीतुं च नी चजात्यस्य वैदिकाः

Transliteration

rājovāca | upadeśādhikāro'sti brāhmaṇānāṃ mahātmanām | dātuṃ naiva grahītuṃ ca nī cajātyasya vaidikāḥ

Translation

രാജാവ് പറഞ്ഞു—മഹാത്മാക്കളായ ബ്രാഹ്മണർക്കാണ് ഉപദേശാധികാരം. വൈദികർ നീചാചാരികളോടും നീചജാതിയോടും കൊടുക്കരുത്; അവരിൽ നിന്ന് സ്വീകരിക്കയും അരുത്।

Word by Word

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• उपदेश-अधिकारः: the authority/right to instruct
• उपदेश-अधिकारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपदेश (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (उपदेशस्य अधिकारः)

• अस्ति: exists/is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• महात्मनाम्: of the great-souled
• महात्मनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (ब्राह्मणानाम् इति)

• दातुम्: to give
• दातुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive/तुमर्थ), परस्मैपद-धातु

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/अव्यय-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/अव्यय-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis/only)

• ग्रहितुम्: to accept/take
• ग्रहितुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive/तुमर्थ)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• नीच-जात्यस्य: of a low-born person
• नीच-जात्यस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीच (प्रातिपदिक) + जाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रयोगे (जात्य-शब्दः), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (नीचस्य जातिः)

• वैदिकाः: Vedic (Brahmins)
• वैदिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैदिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेष्य-रूपेण (ब्राह्मणाः/द्विजाः इत्यर्थे)

Speaker

King

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king speaks firmly on dharma boundaries: brāhmaṇas as rightful instructors; a symbolic barrier between pure and impure exchange; emphasis on moral authority rather than royal power.

Characters & Entities

• King
• Brāhmaṇas
• Vaidikas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The king affirms a dharmic order: spiritual instruction is entrusted to the learned, and giving/receiving should follow ethical restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha name appears in this verse; it supports the moral framework within the Tīrthamāhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A dharma guideline regarding dāna and pratigraha (giving and accepting) is stated, rather than a specific rite.