Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

तत्रैको विदुरो नाम दुरात्मा ब्राह्मणाधमः । आसीद्वेश्यापतिर्योऽसौ सदारोऽपि कुमार्गगः

Transliteration

tatraiko viduro nāma durātmā brāhmaṇādhamaḥ | āsīdveśyāpatiryo'sau sadāro'pi kumārgagaḥ

Translation

ସେଠାରେ ‘ବିଦୁର’ ନାମରେ ଜଣେ ଥିଲେ—ଦୁରାତ୍ମା, ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଅଧମ। ସେ ଜଣେ ବେଶ୍ୟାର ପୋଷକ-ରକ୍ଷକ ହୋଇ ରହୁଥିଲେ; ଏବଂ ସ୍ତ୍ରୀ ଥିଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ କୁମାର୍ଗକୁ ଅନୁସରଣ କରୁଥିଲେ।

Word by Word

• tatra: There
• tatra: Adhikaran (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of Place

• ekaḥ: One
• ekaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• viduraḥ: Vidura (Name)
• viduraḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• nāma: Named
• nāma: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb

• durātmā: Wicked-souled
• durātmā: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durātman (dur + ātman)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• brāhmaṇādhamaḥ: Lowest of Brahmins
• brāhmaṇādhamaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇādhama (brāhmaṇa + adhama)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• āsīt: Was
• āsīt: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Lang Lakara (Imperfect Past), 3rd Person, Singular

• veśyāpatiḥ: Husband of a harlot
• veśyāpatiḥ: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veśyāpati (veśyā + pati)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• yaḥ: Who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• asau: That/He
• asau: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• sadāraḥ: With wife
• sadāraḥ: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sadāra (sa + dāra)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

• api: Even/Though
• api: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle

• kumārgagaḥ: Going on a bad path
• kumārgagaḥ: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kumārgaga (kumārga + ga)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Not explicitly stated in the provided snippet (context needed from Adhyāya 22 framing dialogue)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa figure (Vidura) shown with external marks of status but inner moral disarray: moving toward a courtesan’s house while his lawful wife remains in shadow; symbolism of broken household lamp.

Characters & Entities

• Vidura

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It warns that social status (even being a brāhmaṇa) is hollow without right conduct; attachment to immoral living leads one onto kumārga (the wrong path).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha or sacred location is explicitly mentioned in this verse; it appears to set up a moral narrative that may connect to a later māhātmya context in the chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse—no snāna, dāna, japa, vrata, or pilgrimage instruction is stated here.