Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

युधिष्ठिर उवाच । ब्राह्मणस्य तु यत्कर्म उत्पत्तिः क्षत्रियस्य तु । वैश्यस्यापि च शूद्रस्य तत्सर्वं कथयस्व मे

Transliteration

yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | brāhmaṇasya tu yatkarma utpattiḥ kṣatriyasya tu | vaiśyasyāpi ca śūdrasya tatsarvaṃ kathayasva me

Translation

尤提希提罗说道：“请为我详尽宣说：婆罗门的本分，以及刹帝利的起源（与职责），并同样说明吠舍与首陀罗的一切。”

Word by Word

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणस्य: of the brāhmaṇa
• ब्राह्मणस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• यत्: which
• यत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative)

• कर्म: duty/action
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• उत्पत्तिः: origin/creation
• उत्पत्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• क्षत्रियस्य: of the kṣatriya
• क्षत्रियस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• वैश्यस्य: of the vaiśya
• वैश्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• शूद्रस्य: of the śūdra
• शूद्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; निर्देश (demonstrative)

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• कथयस्व: tell (please)
• कथयस्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु; णिच्)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Genitive/Dative), एकवचन; एनदादेश (enclitic)

Speaker

Yudhiṣṭhira

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yudhiṣṭhira, seated respectfully, questions the sage about the origins and duties of the four varṇas; a calm hermitage setting with riverine ambience implied by Revā context.

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Brāhmaṇa
• Kṣatriya
• Vaiśya
• Śūdra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is to be understood systematically; social and ethical duties are framed as part of righteous living.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is praised in this verse; it shifts to a dharma inquiry within the chapter’s narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a request for instruction regarding varṇa-dharma.