Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

शूद्रान्नं शूद्रसंपर्कं शूद्रेण च सहासनम् । शूद्रादन्नागमश्चैव ज्वलंतमपि पातयेत्

Transliteration

śūdrānnaṃ śūdrasaṃparkaṃ śūdreṇa ca sahāsanam | śūdrādannāgamaścaiva jvalaṃtamapi pātayet

Translation

ശൂദ്രന്റെ അന്നം, ശൂദ്രസമ്പർക്കം, ശൂദ്രനോടൊപ്പം ഒരേ ആസനത്തിൽ ഇരിക്കൽ—അതുപോലെ ശൂദ്രനിൽ നിന്ന് അന്നം സ്വീകരിക്കലും—ഇവയെല്ലാം, അത്യാവശ്യമായാലും ‘കത്തുന്ന’ നിലയിലായാലും, ഉപേക്ഷിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• शूद्रान्नम्: Śūdra’s food
• शूद्रान्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शूद्रस्य अन्नम्)

• शूद्रसंपर्कम्: contact with a Śūdra
• शूद्रसंपर्कम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र + संपर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शूद्रस्य संपर्कः)

• शूद्रेण: with a Śūdra
• शूद्रेण: Sahakarana (Instrument/सहकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (instrumental: with/by a Śūdra)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction: and)

• सहासनम्: sitting together (sharing a seat)
• सहासनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सह + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (सह आसनम् = sitting together)

• शूद्रात्: from a Śūdra
• शूद्रात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (ablative: from a Śūdra)

• अन्नागमः: receipt/obtaining of food
• अन्नागमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्न + आगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अन्नस्य आगमः = obtaining/coming of food)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic: indeed/just)

• ज्वलन्तम्: burning
• ज्वलन्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ज्वल् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (burning)

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

• पातयेत्: should cause to fall/should cast down
• पातयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत् (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative: cause to fall/bring down)

Speaker

Antyaja (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-ascetic at Prabhāsa refuses offered food, turning toward a sacred fire and tīrtha-water, emphasizing restraint amid urgency.

Characters & Entities

• Śūdra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It stresses uncompromising adherence to the stated rule of conduct, even under hardship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra is the setting; the verse functions as dharma-instruction within that māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A strict prohibition is articulated regarding accepting food, contact, and shared seating (as framed by the text).