Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

एतान्वै गर्हिताचारानपांक्तेयान्द्विजाधमान् । द्विजानां सति लाभे तू भयत्रैव विवर्जयेत्

Transliteration

etānvai garhitācārānapāṃkteyāndvijādhamān | dvijānāṃ sati lābhe tū bhayatraiva vivarjayet

Translation

یہ—جن کا کردار قابل مذمت ہے، جو قربانی کی صف میں بیٹھنے کے لائق نہیں، اور جو برہمنوں میں سب سے نچلے درجے کے ہیں—اگر قابل برہمن دستیاب ہوں، تو ان سے ہر طرح سے پرہیز کرنا چاہیے۔

Word by Word

• etān: these (persons)
• etān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम-शब्दः

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (emphatic particle)

• garhita-ācārān: of censured conduct
• garhita-ācārān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: garhita (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + ācāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (गर्हितः आचारः येषाम्/गर्हित-आचाराः)

• apāṃkteyān: unfit to sit in the dining row (impure)
• apāṃkteyān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apāṃkteya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• dvija-adhamān: base/lowest among twice-born
• dvija-adhamān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + adhama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (अधमा द्विजाः)

• dvijānām: of the twice-born
• dvijānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive), बहुवचनम्

• sati: when there is/being present
• sati: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sat (कृदन्त; शतृ/वर्तमानकृदन्त)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative), एकवचनम्; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• lābhe: in the gain/availability
• lābhe: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lābha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सति-सप्तमी-प्रयोगे सह

• tu: but
• tu: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (contrastive particle)

• bhayatra: in fear
• bhayatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (भये)

• eva: only/indeed
• eva: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपातः (restrictive particle)

• vivarjayet: should avoid/exclude
• vivarjayet: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√vṛj (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A formal śrāddha/yajña seating row (pāṅkti) with qualified dvijas seated; outside the row stand censured figures. The donor gestures respectfully but firmly, following the dharma advisor’s instruction.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa-kṣetra
• dvija
• apāṅkteya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma prioritizes character: social or ritual status without right conduct is rejected, especially in sacred contexts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where the text provides practical dharma for pilgrims performing charity and rites.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A clear prescription for dāna/feasting contexts: avoid apāṅkteya persons when qualified recipients are present.