Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

विप्रवर्ज्यं तथा केशं वर्णिनां दापयेन्नृपः । यो यो यद्देवताभक्तः पाययेत्तस्य तं नरम्

Transliteration

vipravarjyaṃ tathā keśaṃ varṇināṃ dāpayennṛpaḥ | yo yo yaddevatābhaktaḥ pāyayettasya taṃ naram

Translation

国王应令除婆罗门外的诸种姓，以其发为誓触之物。又凡人随所奉之神而有信敬者，当令其以该神之名饮水，以成誓约之一分。

Word by Word

• विप्रवर्ज्यम्: excluding brāhmaṇas / to be excluded for brāhmaṇas
• विप्रवर्ज्यम्: Karman (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ज्य (प्रातिपदिक; √वृज्/√वर्ज् से)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (विप्रं वर्ज्यं/विप्रवर्ज्यः); कृत्य-प्रत्यय (यत्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (likewise)

• केशम्: hair
• केशम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• वर्णिनाम्: of the varṇins (members of varṇas)
• वर्णिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्णिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• दापयेत्: should cause (someone) to give
• दापयेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) [णिच् causative: दापय-]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: should cause to give)

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• यः: who (each)
• यः: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन (repetition for distributive sense)

• यत्: whatever/which
• यत्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• देवताभक्तः: a devotee of (a) deity
• देवताभक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्त (प्रातिपदिक; √भज् से)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (देवतायाः भक्तः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• पाययेत्: should make (him) drink
• पाययेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु) [णिच् causative: पायय-]
• Form: विधिलिङ्; परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: should make drink)

• तस्य: of him/for him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुं/नपुंसक; षष्ठी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• तम्: that (person)
• तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• नरम्: man/person
• नरम्: Karman (Object apposition/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍunandana

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king presides over an oath: attendants present a ritual token involving hair for non-brāhmaṇas; a devotee is offered water to drink in the name of his chosen deity, with deity emblems displayed behind (Śiva trident, Viṣṇu śaṅkha, Devī lion, etc.).

Characters & Entities

• Nṛpa (King)
• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
• Devatā (chosen deity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Public order and justice require solemn, accountable procedures; devotion and social duty are integrated into oath-taking.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the content concerns dharmic-legal procedure.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A deity-linked oath rite: the king administers a procedure where (for eligible groups) hair may be used as touch-witness, and the devotee drinks water in connection with the deity they revere.