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

Aquellos brāhmaṇas establecieron su sustento entre sí, habiendo surgido de mezclas mutuas. Y, oh rey, escucha además algo más acerca de los dos veces nacidos, versados en los tres 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.