Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

किं पुनर्द्विजवर्य्याश्च क्षत्रियाश्च विशेषतः । त्रिवर्णपूजासंयुक्ताः शूद्रास्तत्र निवासिनः

Transliteration

kiṃ punardvijavaryyāśca kṣatriyāśca viśeṣataḥ | trivarṇapūjāsaṃyuktāḥ śūdrāstatra nivāsinaḥ

Translation

更何况那些卓越的再生者（二次生）与尤其是刹帝利，将得何等殊胜之果；即便住在彼处、恭敬供奉三上等种姓的首陀罗，也同蒙功德。

Word by Word

• किम्: what (then)
• किम्: Sambandha (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative particle: what/then what)

• पुनः: moreover
• पुनः: Sambandha (Discourse adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्ति/विशेषण-अव्यय (further/moreover)

• द्विजवर्य्याः: excellent Brahmins
• द्विजवर्य्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (वर्याः द्विजाः = excellent Brahmins); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

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

• क्षत्रियाः: Kshatriyas
• क्षत्रियाः: Karta (Co-subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

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

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्या-अव्यय (adverb: especially/particularly)

• त्रिवर्णपूजासंयुक्ताः: associated with worship of the three varnas
• त्रिवर्णपूजासंयुक्ताः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: त्रिवर्ण-पूजा (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः) + संयुक्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, सम्+युज् धातु); बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of शूद्राः)

• शूद्राः: Shudras
• शूद्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative adverb/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (locative adverb: there)

• निवासिनः: residents
• निवासिनः: Karta (Apposition to शूद्राः/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; नित्य-विशेषणार्थक (resident/dweller)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panoramic Dvārakā kṣetra scene: pilgrims and residents of varied stations offering respectful service; temple spires and the Gomātī in the background; a mood of orderly sacred civic life.

Characters & Entities

• Dvārakā (implied)
• Dvija
• Kṣatriya
• Śūdra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

If the kṣetra uplifts even the lowly, then those established in dharma and right conduct gain even greater spiritual benefit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā (the sacred residence area being praised in this adhyāya).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Nivāsa (dwelling there) together with dhārmic conduct—here framed as honoring the tri-varṇa order.