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Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 6

श्रेष्ठं हि विहितं प्राहुर्धर्मकर्म युधिष्ठिर । तैरेव कारयेत्तस्मान्नोत्तमैर्नाधमैरपि

śreṣṭhaṃ hi vihitaṃ prāhurdharmakarma yudhiṣṭhira | taireva kārayettasmānnottamairnādhamairapi

Wahai Yudhiṣṭhira, para bijaksana menyatakan bahawa upacara dharma paling utama apabila dilaksanakan menurut ketetapan. Maka, amal yang ditentukan hendaklah dilakukan oleh yang layak—bukan oleh yang terlalu dimuliakan, dan bukan pula oleh yang tidak layak.

श्रेष्ठम्best/superior
श्रेष्ठम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootश्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणं विहितम्/धर्मकर्म
हिindeed
हि:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक (indeed/for)
विहितम्prescribed
विहितम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootवि-धा (धातु) → विहित (कृदन्त, क्त)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'prescribed/ordained'
प्राहुःthey say/declare
प्राहुः:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootप्र-आह् (धातु)
Formलिट् (perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन
धर्मकर्मreligious duty and ritual act
धर्मकर्म:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व
युधिष्ठिरO Yudhiṣṭhira
युधिष्ठिर:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootयुधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन
तैःby them
तैः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम
एवonly
एव:
Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधारण (only)
कारयेत्should have (it) done
कारयेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootकारय् (णिच्) ← कृ (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त
तस्मात्therefore
तस्मात्:
Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (therefore/from that reason)
not
:
Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध (negation)
उत्तमैःby the best (people)
उत्तमैः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootउत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन
nor
:
Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध
अधमैःby the lowest (people)
अधमैः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootअधम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन
अपिeven
अपि:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (even/also)

Uncertain from snippet (dialogue addressing Yudhiṣṭhira; likely a Purāṇic narrator/teacher speaking to Yudhiṣṭhira)

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Scene: A sage addresses Yudhiṣṭhira with a gesture of instruction; behind them, a ritual platform shows orderly arrangement—fire, water, flowers—symbolizing ‘vidhi’.

Y
Yudhiṣṭhira

FAQs

Dharmic acts bear their proper fruit when done according to śāstra by those qualified for that duty.

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it gives a general dharma-rule within the Revā Khaṇḍa context.

That prescribed dharma-karmas should be performed by appropriate/eligible persons, not by the unfit.