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

വണിക്കരുടെ വീടുകളിലേക്കു നിത്യവും പൗരോഹിത്യസേവയ്ക്കായി വന്ന്, അവർ തങ്ങളുടെ പങ്ക് വിഭജിച്ചു പ്രാപിച്ചു—ഇത് കാജേശൻ സ്ഥാപിച്ചതായിരുന്നു.

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.