Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

वैश्या वैश्यजनार्हाणि चक्रुः कर्माणि भूरिशः । पशुपालनपूर्वाणि क्रयविक्रयजानि च

Transliteration

vaiśyā vaiśyajanārhāṇi cakruḥ karmāṇi bhūriśaḥ | paśupālanapūrvāṇi krayavikrayajāni ca

Translation

Die Vaiśyas verrichteten zahlreiche Arbeiten, die der Händlerklasse geziemen—beginnend mit der Viehzucht und einschließlich der Tätigkeiten, die aus Kauf und Verkauf entstehen.

Word by Word

• वैश्याः: the Vaiśyas (merchant class)
• वैश्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वैश्यजनार्हाणि: befitting the Vaiśya people
• वैश्यजनार्हाणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैश्य-जन-अर्ह (प्रातिपदिक; components: वैश्य + जन + अर्ह)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम्—कर्माणि इति विशेष्यस्य

• चक्रुः: did/performed
• चक्रुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); परस्मैपदम्

• कर्माणि: actions/works
• कर्माणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• भूरिशः: abundantly, in great measure
• भूरिशः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूरिशस् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• पशुपालनपूर्वाणि: beginning with cattle-rearing
• पशुपालनपूर्वाणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पशु-पालन-पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक; components: पशु + पालन + पूर्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम्—कर्माणि

• क्रयविक्रयजानि: arising from buying and selling
• क्रयविक्रयजानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रय-विक्रय-ज (प्रातिपदिक; components: क्रय + विक्रय + ज)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम्—कर्माणि

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice within Nāgarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Indra (Sahasrākṣa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene, orderly settlement where vaiśya households tend cattle, weigh goods, and conduct fair trade under a dharmic atmosphere, with tīrtha banners and distant shrine silhouettes.

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The greatness of the holy realm is reflected in people naturally adhering to their dharmic livelihoods without exploitation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the general praise within Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya; the named tīrtha is not specified in the excerpt.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it describes vaiśya-appropriate occupations as part of dharmic order.