Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

धर्मोपदेशः शूद्राणां स्वश्रेयः प्रतिघातयेत् । द्विजशुश्रूषणं धर्मः शूद्राणां हि परो मतः

Transliteration

dharmopadeśaḥ śūdrāṇāṃ svaśreyaḥ pratighātayet | dvijaśuśrūṣaṇaṃ dharmaḥ śūdrāṇāṃ hi paro mataḥ

Translation

येथे असे सांगितले आहे की शूद्रांना (काही) धर्मोपदेश देणे त्यांच्या स्वतःच्या कल्याणास बाधक ठरते. शूद्रांचा परम धर्म द्विजांची सेवा व शुश्रूषा हाच मानला आहे.

Word by Word

• धर्मोपदेशः: instruction in dharma
• धर्मोपदेशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + उपदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मस्य उपदेशः)

• शूद्राणाम्: of Śūdras
• शूद्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• स्वश्रेयः: one's own welfare
• स्वश्रेयः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (स्वं श्रेयः)

• प्रतिघातयेत्: would hinder/obstruct
• प्रतिघातयेत्: Kriya (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-घातय् (धातु; √घट्/घात् caus.)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विजशुश्रूषणम्: service to the twice-born
• द्विजशुश्रूषणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + शुश्रूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानां शुश्रूषणम्)

• धर्मः: dharma
• धर्मः: Samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• शूद्राणाम्: of Śūdras
• शूद्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• परः: highest/supreme
• परः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (धर्मस्य)

• मतः: considered/held to be
• मतः: Samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत (प्रातिपदिक; √मन् + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), विशेषणम् (धर्मस्य)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic scene in Kāśī: a seated ācārya instructs householders near a ghat; attendants stand respectfully, emphasizing seva and disciplined conduct.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (implied by Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It presents a traditional, rule-bound view of dharma roles and emphasizes duty as defined by the text’s framework.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of Kāśī-centered instruction in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, not a particular tīrtha description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It prescribes śuśrūṣā (service/attendance) as the principal duty for Śūdras in this passage.