Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

एकाहिका द्विजाः केचित्केचित्स्वामृतवृत्तयः । कुम्भीधान्या द्विजाः केचित्केचित्षट्कर्मतत्पराः

Transliteration

ekāhikā dvijāḥ kecitkecitsvāmṛtavṛttayaḥ | kumbhīdhānyā dvijāḥ kecitkecitṣaṭkarmatatparāḥ

Translation

কিছু দ্বিজ দিন-দিনে জীবিকা চালায়; কিছু স্বয়ংপ্রাপ্ত অন্নে (স্বামৃত-বৃত্তিতে) জীবনধারণ করে। কিছু দ্বিজ কলসে শস্য সঞ্চয় করে; আর কিছু ষট্কর্মে নিবিষ্ট থাকে।

Word by Word

• एकाहिकाः: (living) for one day / one-day (observers)
• एकाहिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + अह (प्रातिपदिक) + इक (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-आधारित तद्धितान्त (one-day/ekāha-related) विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘द्विजाः’)

• द्विजाः: Brahmins (twice-born)
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (निपात)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनार्थे अनिर्दिष्ट-रूपम् (some)

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (निपात)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनार्थे अनिर्दिष्ट-रूपम् (some)

• स्वामृतवृत्तयः: those whose livelihood is ‘own-nectar’ (self-sustained)
• स्वामृतवृत्तयः: Karta (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अमृत (प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (स्वामृतं वृत्तिः येषाम्/स्वामृतवृत्तिः)

• कुम्भीधान्याः: having grain stored in a pot (kumbhīdhānya)
• कुम्भीधान्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुम्भी (प्रातिपदिक) + धान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कुम्भ्यां धान्यं येषाम्) विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘द्विजाः’)

• द्विजाः: Brahmins
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (निपात)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनार्थे अनिर्दिष्ट-रूपम् (some)

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (निपात)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनार्थे अनिर्दिष्ट-रूपम् (some)

• षट्कर्मतत्पराः: devoted to the six duties (ṣaṭkarman)
• षट्कर्मतत्पराः: Karta (Predicate adjective/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट् (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षट्कर्मणि तत्पराः)

Speaker

Ascetic brāhmaṇas (addressing Rāma; framed by Brahmā’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (implied) sages/assembly; narrative audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four groups of brāhmaṇas depicted in a forest-ashram setting: one with minimal daily bowl, one receiving unsolicited alms without asking, one with jars of grain, and one performing rites/teaching with sacred fires and texts.

Characters & Entities

• Dvija
• Ṣaṭkarma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma accommodates varied livelihoods, yet emphasizes disciplined, principled living over dependency and greed.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is named in this verse; it classifies dharmic lifestyles within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Reference to ṣaṭkarma—the six brāhmaṇical duties—indicating a normative framework for religious life and practice.