Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 94

Devanagari script

द्विजा वेदपरा नित्यं क्षत्रिया द्विज सेविनः । कुर्वते वैश्यवर्णाश्च भक्तिं द्विजगवां सदा

Transliteration

dvijā vedaparā nityaṃ kṣatriyā dvija sevinaḥ | kurvate vaiśyavarṇāśca bhaktiṃ dvijagavāṃ sadā

Translation

Os dvijas, os duas-vezes-nascidos, eram sempre devotados aos Vedas; os kṣatriyas serviam aos dvijas; e os vaiśyas praticavam continuamente a devoção aos dvijas e às vacas.

Word by Word

• dvijāḥ: Brahmins (twice-born)
• dvijāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• vedaparāḥ: devoted to the Vedas
• vedaparāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वेदे पराः/वेदपरायणाः)

• nityam: always
• nityam: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसकलिङ्ग-एकवचन-प्रथमा/द्वितीया (adverbial accusative)

• kṣatriyāḥ: Kshatriyas
• kṣatriyāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣatriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• dvija: the Brahmin
• dvija: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (उपपद-सम्बन्धः ‘सेविन्’ इत्यनेन)

• sevinaḥ: serving, attending
• sevinaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sevin (सेविन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘सेविन्’ (serving)

• kurvate: do / perform
• kurvate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• vaiśyavarṇāḥ: the Vaishya class
• vaiśyavarṇāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśya (प्रातिपदिक) + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (वैश्यः एव वर्णः)

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

• bhaktim: devotion
• bhaktim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• dvijagavām: of Brahmins and cows
• dvijagavām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (द्विजाश्च गावश्च)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Narrator (sectional voice; likely a Purāṇic narrator addressing a king)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: narādhipa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Tripartite tableau: brāhmaṇas reciting Veda with yajñopavīta and palm-leaf texts; kṣatriyas standing respectfully with folded hands and protective posture; vaiśyas tending cows, offering fodder and water, and presenting gifts to learned elders.

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Brāhmaṇa
• Kṣatriya
• Vaiśya
• Cow (Go)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A dharmic society honors sacred learning (Veda), supports spiritual leadership, and protects cows as a sign of righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named; the verse frames dharma as the foundation for sacred prosperity within Dharmāraṇya’s narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; it highlights ongoing practices of service (sevā) and reverence (bhakti), including go-sevā.