Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

शूद्रं ब्राह्मणजेतारं वैश्यं बाह्मणमानिनम् । क्षत्रियं याजकं चापि विप्रं वेदविवर्जितम्

Transliteration

śūdraṃ brāhmaṇajetāraṃ vaiśyaṃ bāhmaṇamāninam | kṣatriyaṃ yājakaṃ cāpi vipraṃ vedavivarjitam

Translation

(سزا دو) اُس شودر کو جو برہمنوں پر غلبہ چاہے؛ اُس ویشیہ کو جو اپنے آپ کو برہمن سمجھے؛ اُس کشتریہ کو جو یاجک (پجاری) بن بیٹھے؛ اور اُس برہمن کو جو وید سے محروم ہو۔

Word by Word

• śūdram: a Śūdra
• śūdram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūdra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• brāhmaṇa-jetāram: one who overcomes/defeats Brahmins
• brāhmaṇa-jetāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + jetṛ (प्रातिपदिक, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिकः from √ji ‘to conquer’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (कर्म-तत्पुरुषः) ‘ब्राह्मणान् जयति’

• vaiśyam: a Vaiśya
• vaiśyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• brāhmaṇa-māninam: one who fancies himself a Brahmin / proud as a Brahmin
• brāhmaṇa-māninam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + mānin (प्रातिपदिक, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिकः from √man ‘to think’, ‘to be proud’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (कर्म-तत्पुरुषः) ‘ब्राह्मणं मन्यते/अभिमन्यते’

• kṣatriyam: a Kṣatriya
• kṣatriyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣatriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• yājakam: a priest who officiates sacrifices
• yājakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yājaka (प्रातिपदिक, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिकः from √yaj ‘to sacrifice’, causative sense ‘one who makes (others) sacrifice’ / ‘officiating priest’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चय-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• vipram: a Brahmin
• vipram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• veda-vivarjitam: devoid of the Veda
• veda-vivarjitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + vivarjita (प्रातिपदिक, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिकः from vi-√vṛj/√vṛj? ‘to exclude/avoid’; past passive participle sense ‘deprived of’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘विवर्जित’; तत्पुरुषसमासः (पञ्चमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः) ‘वेदेन विवर्जितः/वेदवर्जितः’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa, Skanda → Agastya dialogue context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four archetypes shown in a moral frieze: a śūdra attempting to ‘overcome’ brāhmaṇas; a vaiśya wearing brāhmaṇa marks in vanity; a kṣatriya performing priestly rites; and a brāhmaṇa neglecting Veda—each followed by Yama’s attendants indicating consequence.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Kāśī
• Naraka
• Veda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse stresses svadharma—integrity in one’s responsibilities—and criticizes role-confusion joined with pride or domination.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī remains the overarching sacred frame for these teachings; this line focuses on dharma-categories rather than a named tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, adherence to Vedic discipline for brāhmaṇas and proper conduct within one’s duties; no specific rite is detailed.