Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

अजीवन्कर्मणा स्वेन विप्रः क्षात्त्रं समाश्रयेत् । वैश्यकर्माऽथवा कुर्याद्वार्षलं परिवर्जयेत्

Transliteration

ajīvankarmaṇā svena vipraḥ kṣāttraṃ samāśrayet | vaiśyakarmā'thavā kuryādvārṣalaṃ parivarjayet

Translation

যদি ব্রাহ্মণ নিজ স্বধর্মকর্মে জীবিকা নির্বাহ করতে না পারে, তবে সে ক্ষাত্রপথ অবলম্বন করতে পারে, অথবা বৈশ্যকর্ম করতে পারে; কিন্তু শূদ্রবৃত্তি বর্জন করা উচিত।

Word by Word

• अजीवन्: not making a living
• अजीवन्: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-जीवन् (कृदन्त; √जीव् (धातु) शतृ/वर्तमान कृदन्त, नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्तः—‘not living (by...)’

• कर्मणा: by occupation; by work
• कर्मणा: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करणम्—‘by work/occupation’

• स्वेन: one’s own
• स्वेन: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (agreeing with कर्मणा)

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

• क्षात्त्रम्: kṣatriya occupation
• क्षात्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘kṣatriya-occupation/warrior duty’

• समाश्रयेत्: should resort to
• समाश्रयेत्: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√श्रि (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘should resort to’

• वैश्यकर्मा: vaiśya occupation
• वैश्यकर्मा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (पद्ये प्रायः -आन्तरूपेण); तत्पुरुषः—‘वैश्यस्य कर्म’ (vaiśya occupation)

• अथवा: or
• अथवा: Alternative marker (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive particle)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should do’

• वार्षलम्: śūdra/servile occupation
• वार्षलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार्षल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘śūdra-occupation/servile work’

• परिवर्जयेत्: should avoid
• परिवर्जयेत्: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-√वृज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘should avoid’

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa householder at Prabhāsa, facing scarcity, sets aside ritual implements momentarily and takes up a kṣatriya bow or vaiśya scales, while a śāstra scroll remains nearby—signaling temporary āpaddharma without abandoning learning.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In hardship, dharma allows graded alternatives, but one should still avoid degrading choices that violate one’s discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra forms the backdrop; the māhātmya teaches that sanctity includes righteous livelihood.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An āpaddharma guideline: adopt kṣatriya or vaiśya means if necessary; avoid vārṣala livelihood.