Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

वणिजां गृहमागत्य पौरोहित्यस्य नित्यशः । भागं विभज्य संप्रापुः काजेशेन विनिर्मिताः

Transliteration

vaṇijāṃ gṛhamāgatya paurohityasya nityaśaḥ | bhāgaṃ vibhajya saṃprāpuḥ kājeśena vinirmitāḥ

Translation

Allant jour après jour aux demeures des marchands pour le service sacerdotal, ils reçurent les parts qui leur étaient dues, ordonnées et instituées par Kājeśa.

Word by Word

• वणिजाम्: of the merchants
• वणिजाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वणिज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• गृहम्: house
• गृहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• आगत्य: having come
• आगत्य: Purvakala-kriya (Absolutive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आगत्य (कृदन्त; √गम् (धातु) + ल्यप्, उपसर्ग: आ-)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-रूप कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया (having come)

• पौरोहित्यस्य: of priestly service
• पौरोहित्यस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौरोहित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• नित्यशः: always
• नित्यशः: Kāla (Time adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्यशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: always/regularly)

• भागम्: share/portion
• भागम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• विभज्य: having divided
• विभज्य: Purvakala-kriya (Absolutive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विभज्य (कृदन्त; √भज् (धातु) + ल्यप्, उपसर्ग: वि-)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-रूप कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया (having divided)

• संप्रापुः: they obtained/reached
• संप्रापुः: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √प्राप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग: सम्-

• काजेशेन: by Kājeśa
• काजेशेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काजेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• विनिर्मिताः: made/constructed
• विनिर्मिताः: Visheshana (to implied subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनिर्मित (कृदन्त; √मा (धातु) + क्त, उपसर्ग: वि-निर्-)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

Narrator

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Priests visit merchants’ homes daily to perform purohita duties and receive their allotted shares, established by Kājeśa.

Characters & Entities

• Vaṇij (merchants)
• Paurohitya
• Kājeśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sustaining dharma includes sustaining its caretakers: priestly service is supported through orderly, regular giving.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative context is Dharmāraṇya; this verse highlights social functioning within the sacred region rather than naming a particular tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular paurohitya (priestly service) and the receipt of an allotted share as a customary support mechanism.