Shloka 33 - Adhyaya 222 - Tirtha Mahatmya - Nagara Khanda | Thai | Vedapath

Vyasa

Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

अथाचारपरिभ्रष्टाः श्राद्धार्हा एव नागराः । वलीवर्दसमानोऽपि ज्ञातीयो यदि लभ्यते । किमन्यैर्बहुभिर्विप्रैर्वेदवेदांगपारगैः

Transliteration

athācāraparibhraṣṭāḥ śrāddhārhā eva nāgarāḥ | valīvardasamāno'pi jñātīyo yadi labhyate | kimanyairbahubhirviprairvedavedāṃgapāragaiḥ

Translation

แม้ชาวนาคระจะหลุดจากจารีตอันถูกต้อง ก็ยังนับว่าเป็นผู้ควรรับในศราทธะอยู่ หากพบญาติสักคน—แม้ถูกมองต่ำดุจโคเทียมเกวียน—แล้วจะต้องการพราหมณ์มากมายผู้เชี่ยวชาญพระเวทและเวทางคะไปไย

Word by Word

अथthen/now

आचारपरिभ्रष्टाःfallen away from proper conduct

श्राद्धार्हाःfit/eligible for śrāddha

एवindeed; only

नागराःNāgaras

वलीवर्दसमानःequal to an ox (i.e., dull/low)

अपिeven

ज्ञातीयःa kinsman/relative

यदिif

लभ्यतेis obtained/found

किम्what use? what (need)?

अन्यैःwith other

बहुभिःmany

विप्रैःBrahmins

वेदवेदाङ्गपारगैःby those versed in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas

Speaker

Not explicit in this verse (Śrāddha-kalpa narrative voice within Nāgara Khaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moral-contrast tableau: a humble, even disreputable-looking local kinsman is respectfully offered śrāddha, while a group of dignified Veda-knowing outsiders stand aside; the yajamāna chooses kinship duty over display.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In śrāddha, dharma prioritizes rightful relationship and ritual propriety over mere display of scholarship; fulfilling ancestral duty is central.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The passage sits in the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya setting within Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya, though this verse itself focuses on śrāddha norms.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Guidance on choosing śrāddha recipients: prefer an available kinsman; do not overvalue large numbers of learned invitees when the proper relational duty can be met.