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

‘രസ’ (മദ്യ/ഭോഗപാനീയം) വിൽക്കുന്ന ബ്രാഹ്മണൻ, ശൂദ്രസ്ത്രീയെ ഭാര്യയാക്കുന്നവൻ, ദാഹാർത്തമായ ഗോകുലത്തിന്റെ വേലി/കെട്ട് പൊളിക്കുന്നവൻ—ഇവ നിന്ദ്യകർമ്മങ്ങൾ।

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)

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.