Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

ऋषभ उवाच । श्रुतिस्मृतिपुराणेषु प्रोक्तो धर्मः सनातनः । वर्णाश्रमानुरूपेण निषेव्यः सर्वदा जनैः

Transliteration

ṛṣabha uvāca | śrutismṛtipurāṇeṣu prokto dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ | varṇāśramānurūpeṇa niṣevyaḥ sarvadā janaiḥ

Translation

梨沙婆说道：“永恒之法（dharma）在《闻传》（Śruti）、《忆传》（Smṛti）与诸《往世书》（Purāṇa）中皆有宣说。众人应依各自的种姓（varṇa）与住期（āśrama），恒常奉行。”

Word by Word

• ऋषभः: Ṛṣabha
• ऋषभः: Karta (Speaker/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• श्रुति-स्मृति-पुराणेषु: in the Śrutis, Smṛtis, and Purāṇas
• श्रुति-स्मृति-पुराणेषु: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (in the Śruti, Smṛti and Purāṇas)

• प्रोक्तः: declared
• प्रोक्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of धर्मः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र√वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; (declared)

• धर्मः: dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन

• सनातनः: eternal
• सनातनः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of धर्मः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण

• वर्ण-आश्रमानुरूपेण: according to (one’s) varṇa and āśrama
• वर्ण-आश्रमानुरूपेण: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; तृतीया-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययवत् (instrumental-form used adverbially); (according to varṇa and āśrama)

• निषेव्यः: should be practiced
• निषेव्यः: Kriyā (Obligatory predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√सेव् (धातु)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/passive necessity); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; (to be practiced/served)

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• जनैः: by people
• जनैः: Kartr̥ (Agent in passive/obligation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; बहुवचन

Speaker

Ṛṣabha (Śivayogin)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ṛṣabha speaks in a teaching posture, perhaps seated among listeners; the scene conveys scriptural authority—palm-leaf manuscripts, attentive disciples, and a calm didactic atmosphere.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣabha
• Śruti
• Smṛti
• Purāṇa
• Sanātana Dharma
• Varṇāśrama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is timeless and scripturally grounded; it is to be lived consistently in ways suited to one’s duties and stage of life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse is doctrinal, establishing the authority and universality of dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No single ritual; it prescribes continual practice of dharma according to varṇāśrama responsibilities.