Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

खरवाह्युष्ट्रवाही हयवाही तथैव च । गोपाल इष्टिकाकारो अधमाधमपञ्चकम्

Transliteration

kharavāhyuṣṭravāhī hayavāhī tathaiva ca | gopāla iṣṭikākāro adhamādhamapañcakam

Translation

ଗଧା ହାଙ୍କୁଥିବା, ଉଷ୍ଟ୍ର ହାଙ୍କୁଥିବା, ହୟ ହାଙ୍କୁଥିବା; ସେହିପରି ଗୋପାଳ ଓ ଇଟା-ନିର୍ମାତା—ଏହି ପାଞ୍ଚଜଣ ‘ଅଧମମାନଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଅଧମ’ ବୋଲି ବର୍ଣ୍ଣିତ।

Word by Word

• खरवाही: donkey-driver / one who carries (loads) on a donkey
• खरवाही: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खर (प्रातिपदिक) + वाहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; खरं वहति इति (खर-वाहिन्)

• उष्ट्रवाही: camel-driver / camel-carrier
• उष्ट्रवाही: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वाहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उष्ट्रं वहति इति

• हयवाही: horse-driver / horse-carrier
• हयवाही: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय (प्रातिपदिक) + वाहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; हयं वहति इति

• तथा: thus; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• गोपालः: cowherd
• गोपालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• इष्टिकाकारः: brick-maker
• इष्टिकाकारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष्टिका (प्रातिपदिक) + कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; इष्टिकां करोति/निर्माति इति

• अधमाधमपञ्चकम्: the five lowest (group of five)
• अधमाधमपञ्चकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधम (प्रातिपदिक) + अधम (प्रातिपदिक) + पञ्चक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘अधमानाम् अधमं पञ्चकम्’ इति (five of the lowest)

Speaker

Unspecified (Nāgarakhaṇḍa narrative voice within Tīrthamāhātmya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrimage road approaching a sacred town: donkey, camel, and horse drivers leading animals; a cowherd with herd; brick-maker stacking sun-dried bricks—shown at the outskirts beyond a temple boundary marker.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It continues a socio-occupational classification used in the chapter’s broader discourse.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.