Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

क्षत्रियार्हं द्विजाचारैः सकलैः परिवर्जितम्

Transliteration

kṣatriyārhaṃ dvijācāraiḥ sakalaiḥ parivarjitam

Translation

क्षत्रियार्हं तद् लक्षणं, द्विजाचारैः सकलैः परिवर्जितम्।

Word by Word

• क्षत्रियार्हम्: fit/appropriate for a kṣatriya
• क्षत्रियार्हम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षत्रिय + अर्ह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: ‘क्षत्रियस्य अर्हम्’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• द्विजाचारैः: by the practices of the twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजाचारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजाचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘द्विजानाम् आचाराः’), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (3rd case/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सकलैः: all/entire
• सकलैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• परिवर्जितम्: avoided/abandoned
• परिवर्जितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिवर्जित (कृदन्त; परि-√वृज्/√वर्ज् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (context suggests Ṛcīka speaking in this passage)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic moment: the speaker points out that certain signs/desires are ‘kṣatriya-suitable’ and lack dvija observances; figures are shown with contrasting attire/implements symbolizing differing disciplines.

Characters & Entities

• Kṣatriya
• Dvija (Brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner tendencies (saṃskāra) and conduct are treated as indicators of the kind of destiny and disposition that may manifest in progeny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse itself is part of a Tīrthamāhātmya chapter, but no particular tīrtha-name appears in the single-line excerpt.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it comments on conduct/observances (ācāra) as a marker.