Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 8
निर्मथ्य नन्दभद्रेण आहृतं तन्निशामय । वाणिज्यं मन्यते श्रेष्ठं जीवनाय तदा स्थितः
nirmathya nandabhadreṇa āhṛtaṃ tanniśāmaya | vāṇijyaṃ manyate śreṣṭhaṃ jīvanāya tadā sthitaḥ
Now hear what Nandabhadra brought forth through strenuous effort, as though by churning. At that time he deemed trade the finest means of sustaining life, and he remained engaged in it.
Nārada (context continuation)
Scene: Nandabhadra, a modest merchant, stands beside simple goods and a travel pack, portrayed as steady and contemplative, choosing trade as a disciplined means of living rather than as greed.
FAQs
Even livelihood (trade) can be dharmic when pursued with effort, restraint, and devotion—dharma is lived in one’s occupation.
The narrative continues within the Bahūdaka/Kapileśvara setting in Kāmarūpa.
None explicitly; the verse transitions from worshipful virtue to dharmic livelihood.