Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

पुरा भवादृशः कश्चिद्ब्राह्मणो धर्मवर्जितः । द्राविडेषु स्थितो मूढः कर्मणा शूद्रतां गतः

Transliteration

purā bhavādṛśaḥ kaścidbrāhmaṇo dharmavarjitaḥ | drāviḍeṣu sthito mūḍhaḥ karmaṇā śūdratāṃ gataḥ

Translation

往昔有一位婆罗门，与你相似，却离弃正法（dharma）。他住在达罗毗荼人中，愚迷之下，因其所作所为而堕为首陀罗（śūdra）之境。

Word by Word

• purā: formerly, once
• purā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: formerly)

• bhavat-ādṛśaḥ: like you
• bhavat-ādṛśaḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhavat (भवत्-प्रातिपदिक) + ādṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः: भवतः आदृशः ‘like you’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कश्चित्/ब्राह्मणः)

• kaścit: someone, a certain (person)
• kaścit: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim + cit (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• brāhmaṇaḥ: a Brahmin
• brāhmaṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• dharma-varjitaḥ: devoid of dharma
• dharma-varjitaḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma + varjita (प्रातिपदिक; √vṛj/√varj ‘to avoid’ + kta)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः: धर्मं वर्जितः), कृदन्त-विशेषणम् (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ब्राह्मणस्य विशेषणम्

• drāviḍeṣu: among the Drāviḍas / in Drāviḍa regions
• drāviḍeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: drāviḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• sthitaḥ: stayed, remained
• sthitaḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (स्था धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि-भावः (having stayed)

• mūḍhaḥ: deluded, foolish
• mūḍhaḥ: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mūḍha (प्रातिपदिक; √muh ‘to be deluded’ + kta)
• Form: कृदन्त-विशेषणम् (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कश्चित्/ब्राह्मणस्य विशेषणम्

• karmaṇā: by (his) actions
• karmaṇā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• śūdratām: Śūdra-hood, the state of a Śūdra
• śūdratām: Gati-karma / Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūdratā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• gataḥ: went to, became
• gataḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past active participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोगः

Speaker

Vāmadeva

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The seeker/questioner

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A flashback tableau: a brāhmaṇa who abandoned dharma lives among Drāviḍas, appearing confused and morally fallen; the scene contrasts sacred discipline with neglect—torn sacred thread, unkempt appearance, shadowed palette.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Drāviḍa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Status is upheld by dharma and conduct; adharma and wrongful karma lead to spiritual and social degradation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse sets up a didactic story illustrating purification and merit later in the episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it introduces a karmic backstory for a later demonstration of grace/purification.