Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणो रसविक्रेता वृषलीपतिरेव च । गोकुलस्य तृषार्तस्य पालीभेदं करोति यः

Transliteration

brāhmaṇo rasavikretā vṛṣalīpatireva ca | gokulasya tṛṣārtasya pālībhedaṃ karoti yaḥ

Translation

Un brāhmaṇa qui vend le rasa (boissons enivrantes), celui qui prend pour épouse une femme śūdra, et celui qui brise l’enclos ou la digue d’un troupeau de vaches tourmenté par la soif—de tels actes sont réprouvés.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणः: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• रस-विक्रेता: seller of liquor/juice (rasa)
• रस-विक्रेता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रस (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्रेता (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √क्री (धातु) + वि + तृच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (रसस्य विक्रेता)

• वृषली-पतिः: husband of a śūdra-woman
• वृषली-पतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषली (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वृषल्याः पतिः)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphasis)

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

• गो-कुलस्य: of the herd of cows
• गो-कुलस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गवां कुलम्)

• तृषा-आर्तस्य: of (one) afflicted by thirst
• तृषा-आर्तस्य: Sambandha (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृषा (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √ऋ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तृषया आर्तः)

• पाली-भेदम्: breach of the embankment/dike
• पाली-भेदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाली (प्रातिपदिक) + भेद (प्रातिपदिक; √भिद् (धातु) + घञ्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पाल्याः भेदः)

• करोति: does/makes
• करोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यत् (relative pronoun)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moral tableau: a brāhmaṇa selling intoxicating drink, a breached cattle-enclosure/bund with thirsty cows, and the king receiving instruction from a sage by the river.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Gokula (cowherd community/herd)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The passage condemns livelihoods and actions seen as socially and spiritually harmful—especially those that damage communal welfare and harm cattle/water access.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ethical list occurs in the Revā Khaṇḍa’s Revā-māhātmya setting, tying pilgrimage to disciplined conduct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is primarily a prohibition and warning, reinforcing restraint and protection of community resources.