Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

काणाः खञ्जाश्च कृष्णाश्च दरिद्रा व्याधितास्तथा । सर्वे श्राद्धे नियोक्तव्या मिश्रिता वेदपारगैः

Transliteration

kāṇāḥ khañjāśca kṛṣṇāśca daridrā vyādhitāstathā | sarve śrāddhe niyoktavyā miśritā vedapāragaiḥ

Translation

କାଣା, ଖଞ୍ଜ, କୃଷ୍ଣବର୍ଣ୍ଣ, ଦରିଦ୍ର ଓ ବ୍ୟାଧିଗ୍ରସ୍ତ—ଏମାନଙ୍କୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଶ୍ରାଦ୍ଧରେ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ନିଯୁକ୍ତ କରିବା ଉଚିତ; ବେଦପାରଗ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣମାନଙ୍କ ସହ ଏକାସଙ୍ଗେ ବସାଇ।

Word by Word

• kāṇāḥ: one-eyed
• kāṇāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• khañjāḥ: lame
• khañjāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khañja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

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

• kṛṣṇāḥ: dark-complexioned
• kṛṣṇāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

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

• daridrāḥ: poor
• daridrāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daridra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• vyādhitāḥ: diseased
• vyādhitāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyādhita (प्रातिपदिक; √vyadh/√bādh, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participial adjective)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• sarve: all (such persons)
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• śrāddhe: in śrāddha
• śrāddhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrāddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• niyoktavyāḥ: are to be appointed/engaged
• niyoktavyāḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni + yuj (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive/obligatory), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘नियोजनीयाः’

• miśritāḥ: mixed/combined
• miśritāḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: miśrita (प्रातिपदिक; √miśr, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• veda-pāragaiḥ: with those who have mastered the Veda
• veda-pāragaiḥ: Sahakārī (सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda + pāra-ga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘वेदस्य पारं गताः’

Speaker

Śiva (deduced from the first-person continuation in subsequent verses: 'mama rūpam', 'yathāham')

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrim/householder performing śrāddha at Prabhāsa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A śrāddha assembly where Veda-learned Brāhmaṇas sit alongside poor and physically impaired dvijas, all receiving equal honor; the host offers food and water with impartial reverence.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Veda
• Śrāddha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Do not exclude people from sacred rites due to physical condition or poverty; dharma in Śrāddha is fulfilled through respectful inclusion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra (Prabhāsatīrtha region), within the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa’s Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

In Śrāddha, invite and seat even the disadvantaged together with Veda-knowing Brāhmaṇas, rather than rejecting them.