Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

अशक्तस्य तथांधस्य पंगोर्यायावरस्य च । विहितं कारणायानमच्छिद्रे ब्राह्मणे कुतः

Transliteration

aśaktasya tathāṃdhasya paṃgoryāyāvarasya ca | vihitaṃ kāraṇāyānamacchidre brāhmaṇe kutaḥ

Translation

جو بے بس، نابینا، لنگڑا اور آوارہ فقیر ہو، اس کے لیے درست سبب کے ساتھ سہارا لے کر سفر کرنا جائز ٹھہرایا گیا ہے؛ مگر بے عیب برہمن کے لیے ایسی وابستگی کی کیا توجیہ ہو سکتی ہے؟

Word by Word

• अशक्तस्य: of the incapable
• अशक्तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- + शक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; विशेषणम्/संज्ञावत् (of an incapable person)

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/तुल्यार्थे (and likewise)

• अन्धस्य: of the blind
• अन्धस्य: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (of the blind)

• पङ्गोः: of the lame
• पङ्गोः: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पङ्गु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (of the lame)

• यायावरस्य: of the wanderer
• यायावरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यायावर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन (of the wanderer/itinerant)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• विहितम्: prescribed
• विहितम्: Kriya (Predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-√धा (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (prescribed/ordained)

• कारणायानम्: travel/transport for necessity
• कारणायानम्: Karma (Object/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक) + आयान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: कारणार्थम् आयानम्/यानम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (a conveyance/going for a reason/necessity)

• अच्छिद्रे: in a faultless
• अच्छिद्रे: Adhikarana (Location/Context)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ- + छिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (in a faultless/without defect)

• ब्राह्मणे: Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणे: Adhikarana (Context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (in/for a Brahmin)

• कुतः: how? whence?
• कुतः: Sambandha (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (whence?/how?)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim assembly at Prabhāsa: the infirm (blind, lame) are respectfully assisted, while an able, learned brāhmaṇa declines undue support, embodying restraint and dharmic self-reliance.

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇa
• yāyāvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma recognizes compassionate exceptions for necessity, but expects the capable and blameless to uphold higher standards.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The guidance is embedded in the Prabhāsa-kṣetra māhātmya, shaping how one should undertake pilgrimage there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Supported/necessity-based travel is permitted for the disabled or renunciant wanderer; for a capable brāhmaṇa, dependence is discouraged.