Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 310

Devanagari script

वृत्तिं चक्रुर्ब्राह्मणास्तेऽ न्योन्यं मिश्रसमुद्भवाः । अन्यच्च श्रूयतां राजंस्त्रैविद्यानां द्विजन्मनाम्

Transliteration

vṛttiṃ cakrurbrāhmaṇāste' nyonyaṃ miśrasamudbhavāḥ | anyacca śrūyatāṃ rājaṃstraividyānāṃ dvijanmanām

Translation

Those Brāhmaṇas established their livelihoods among one another, having arisen from mixed interrelations. And, O king, hear also something further concerning the twice-born who are learned in the three Vedas.

Word by Word

• वृत्तिम्: livelihood/means of living
• वृत्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• चक्रुः: they did/made
• चक्रुः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• ते: those
• ते: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अन्योन्यम्: mutually/one another
• अन्योन्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्यय (reciprocal adverb: 'mutually')

• मिश्र: mixed
• मिश्र: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मिश्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• समुद्भवाः: arisen/originating
• समुद्भवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समुद्भव (प्रातिपदिक; सम्+उद्+भू)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• अन्यत्: another (thing/matter)
• अन्यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; 'another (matter)'

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

• श्रूयताम्: let it be heard / please listen
• श्रूयताम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; आज्ञार्थे/नियोगे

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• त्रैविद्यानाम्: of the knowers of the three Vedas
• त्रैविद्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रैविद्य (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + विद्य)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रयः विद्याः येषाम्)

• द्विजन्मनाम्: of the twice-born
• द्विजन्मनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (द्वे जन्मनी येषाम् = 'twice-born')

Speaker

Unspecified (addressing a king: rājan)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: narādhipa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of Brāhmaṇas in discussion, some with mixed attire signifying varied backgrounds, arranging their livelihoods; a sage addresses the king, indicating a shift to ‘trai-vidya’ learned dvijas.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Traividya (three Vedas)
• Dvi-janman (twice-born)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text emphasizes livelihood and learning together—social complexity is acknowledged, while Vedic study (traividya) remains a defining dharmic ideal.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is praised in this verse; it continues a didactic narrative addressed to a king within the Dharmāraṇya section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it introduces a topic concerning traividya dvijas, implying Vedic study and associated rites.