Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

रक्षणाप्तैर्नरेन्द्रस्य वैश्यस्य क्षेत्र संभवैः । शूद्रस्य पण्यलब्धैश्च श्राद्धं कर्तुं प्रयुज्यते

Transliteration

rakṣaṇāptairnarendrasya vaiśyasya kṣetra saṃbhavaiḥ | śūdrasya paṇyalabdhaiśca śrāddhaṃ kartuṃ prayujyate

Translation

Pour un roi, la richesse obtenue par la protection—devoir légitime du gouvernement—doit être employée au Śrāddha ; pour un vaiśya, celle qui provient des champs (agriculture) ; et pour un śūdra, celle gagnée par le négoce et la vente : tels sont les moyens convenables pour accomplir le Śrāddha.

Word by Word

• रक्षणाप्तैः: by (wealth) obtained through protection/service
• रक्षणाप्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्षण-आप्त (प्रातिपदिक; रक्षण = protection, आप्त = obtained)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; ‘आप्त’ विशेषणम्—‘रक्षणेन आप्तैः’ (instrumental: obtained by protection/service)

• नरेन्द्रस्य: of the king
• नरेन्द्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; नर + इन्द्र (king of men)

• वैश्यस्य: of the Vaiśya
• वैश्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• क्षेत्रसम्भवैः: by (wealth) produced from fields
• क्षेत्रसम्भवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षेत्र-सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; ‘क्षेत्रात् सम्भवः’ (arising from fields)

• शूद्रस्य: of the Śūdra
• शूद्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• पण्यलब्धैः: by (wealth) gained through trade
• पण्यलब्धैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पण्य-लब्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; ‘पण्येन लब्धः’ (obtained by trade)

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

• श्राद्धम्: Śrāddha (rite)
• श्राद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• कर्तुम्: to perform
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्तम् (infinitive), ‘कर्तुम्’ = to do/perform

• प्रयुज्यते: is employed/used
• प्रयुज्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-युज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive)

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña (contextual continuation)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ānarta (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Three small vignettes illustrating rightful earnings: a king protecting subjects, a farmer in fields, and a trader weighing goods—each dedicating a portion for Śrāddha.

Characters & Entities

• King (Narendra)
• Vaiśya
• Śūdra
• Pitṛs (implied by Śrāddha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śrāddha should be supported by wealth aligned with one’s rightful duty and livelihood, reinforcing dharma as the foundation of ritual merit.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is identified in this line; it is a general instruction within Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Use dharmically obtained income—governance/protection for kings, agriculture for vaiśyas, and trade for śūdras—to perform Śrāddha.