Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 150

Devanagari script

व्यवहारानुरूपेण न्यायेन तु यदर्जनम् । क्षत्रियस्य पयस्तेन प्रजापालनतो भवेत्

Transliteration

vyavahārānurūpeṇa nyāyena tu yadarjanam | kṣatriyasya payastena prajāpālanato bhavet

Translation

Tout ce qu’un kṣatriya acquiert par des moyens justes, selon les usages corrects—de là naît son « lait », son soutien légitime, issu de la protection du peuple.

Word by Word

• व्यवहारानुरूपेण: in accordance with customary practice
• व्यवहारानुरूपेण: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यवहार + अनुरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (अव्यक्त-लिङ्ग in -ena), तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/हेतु), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (व्यवहारस्य अनुरूपः)

• न्यायेन: by justice/rightful means
• न्यायेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Vishaya (Correlative/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम

• अर्जनम्: earning/acquisition
• अर्जनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• क्षत्रियस्य: of a Kṣatriya
• क्षत्रियस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• पयः: milk (as the result/fruit)
• पयः: Karta (Subject-complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तेन: by that/thereby
• तेन: Karana/Hetu (Cause/Instrument/हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रजापालनतः: from protecting the subjects
• प्रजापालनतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा + पालन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/हेतु), एकवचन; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverbial) ‘-तः’; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रजायाः पालनम्)

• भवेत्: would/should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Skanda

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience concerned with dharma in Kāśī (including rulers/householders)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Kṣatriya-king in Kāśī holds court beneath a canopy near the riverfront, hearing disputes with a calm judge-like posture; behind him, guards protect pilgrims moving toward temples—symbolizing ‘milk’ as sustenance earned by protection.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Kṣatriya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

For rulers, legitimate livelihood is grounded in justice and the duty of protecting society.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the contextual sacred realm where even political power is subordinated to dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; the prescription is ethical: earn only by just conduct, rooted in protecting the people.