Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणः पतनीयेषु वर्तमानो विकर्मसु । दाम्भिको दुष्कृतप्रायः स च शूद्रसमः स्मृतः

Transliteration

brāhmaṇaḥ patanīyeṣu vartamāno vikarmasu | dāmbhiko duṣkṛtaprāyaḥ sa ca śūdrasamaḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

പാതനകാരകമായ വികർമങ്ങളിൽ ഏർപ്പെട്ട്, നിഷിദ്ധ കർമങ്ങളാൽ ജീവിക്കുന്ന, ദംഭികനും അധികം ദുഷ്കൃത്യപരനുമായ ബ്രാഹ്മണൻ—ധർമ്മനിർണ്ണയത്തിൽ ശൂദ്രസമൻ എന്നു സ്മരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणः: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• पतनीयेषु: in (acts) causing downfall
• पतनीयेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतनीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• वर्तमानः: engaged/abiding
• वर्तमानः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक-कर्तरि-शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• विकर्मसु: in forbidden acts
• विकर्मसु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन

• दाम्भिकः: hypocritical/pretentious
• दाम्भिकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दाम्भिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• दुष्कृतप्रायः: mostly given to evil deeds
• दुष्कृतप्रायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्कृत (प्रातिपदिक) + प्राय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive-determinative): 'दुष्कृतस्य प्रायः' = mostly sinful; विशेषण

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

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

• शूद्रसमः: equal to a Śūdra
• शूद्रसमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: 'शूद्र इव समः' (equal to a Śūdra); विशेषण

• स्मृतः: is considered/said
• स्मृतः: Karma (कर्म) / Predicative
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A hypocritical priestly figure is shown turning away from the shrine, while a sincere pilgrim performs humble service; a sage points to a dharma-text, illustrating that conduct defines spiritual worth at Prabhāsa.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is safeguarded by integrity: hypocrisy and forbidden conduct negate spiritual authority, regardless of birth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, whose Māhātmya includes practical dharma instructions for right living in a sacred place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It sets a dharmic criterion: a brāhmaṇa living by vikarma and patanīya acts is assessed as ‘śūdra-like’ for ritual and ethical considerations.