Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

शूद्रं ब्राह्मणजेतारं वैश्यं बाह्मणमानिनम् । क्षत्रियं याजकं चापि विप्रं वेदविवर्जितम्

Transliteration

śūdraṃ brāhmaṇajetāraṃ vaiśyaṃ bāhmaṇamāninam | kṣatriyaṃ yājakaṃ cāpi vipraṃ vedavivarjitam

Translation

ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣଙ୍କୁ ଜିତିବାକୁ ଚେଷ୍ଟା କରୁଥିବା ଶୂଦ୍ରକୁ; ନିଜକୁ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣ ଭାବୁଥିବା ବୈଶ୍ୟକୁ; ଯାଜକକର୍ମ କରୁଥିବା କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟକୁ; ଏବଂ ବେଦବିହୀନ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣକୁ ମଧ୍ୟ (ଦଣ୍ଡ ଦିଅ)।

Word by Word

• śūdram: a Śūdra
• śūdram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūdra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• brāhmaṇa-jetāram: one who overcomes/defeats Brahmins
• brāhmaṇa-jetāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + jetṛ (प्रातिपदिक, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिकः from √ji ‘to conquer’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (कर्म-तत्पुरुषः) ‘ब्राह्मणान् जयति’

• vaiśyam: a Vaiśya
• vaiśyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• brāhmaṇa-māninam: one who fancies himself a Brahmin / proud as a Brahmin
• brāhmaṇa-māninam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + mānin (प्रातिपदिक, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिकः from √man ‘to think’, ‘to be proud’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (कर्म-तत्पुरुषः) ‘ब्राह्मणं मन्यते/अभिमन्यते’

• kṣatriyam: a Kṣatriya
• kṣatriyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣatriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• yājakam: a priest who officiates sacrifices
• yājakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yājaka (प्रातिपदिक, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिकः from √yaj ‘to sacrifice’, causative sense ‘one who makes (others) sacrifice’ / ‘officiating priest’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चय-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• vipram: a Brahmin
• vipram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• veda-vivarjitam: devoid of the Veda
• veda-vivarjitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + vivarjita (प्रातिपदिक, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिकः from vi-√vṛj/√vṛj? ‘to exclude/avoid’; past passive participle sense ‘deprived of’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘विवर्जित’; तत्पुरुषसमासः (पञ्चमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) ‘वेदेन विवर्जितः/वेदवर्जितः’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa, Skanda → Agastya dialogue context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four archetypes shown in a moral frieze: a śūdra attempting to ‘overcome’ brāhmaṇas; a vaiśya wearing brāhmaṇa marks in vanity; a kṣatriya performing priestly rites; and a brāhmaṇa neglecting Veda—each followed by Yama’s attendants indicating consequence.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Kāśī
• Naraka
• Veda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse stresses svadharma—integrity in one’s responsibilities—and criticizes role-confusion joined with pride or domination.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī remains the overarching sacred frame for these teachings; this line focuses on dharma-categories rather than a named tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, adherence to Vedic discipline for brāhmaṇas and proper conduct within one’s duties; no specific rite is detailed.