Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणांश्चनमस्कृत्य तेभ्यो वृत्तीः प्रदाय च । पुत्रे राज्यं समारोप्य प्रजाधर्मे निवेश्य च

Transliteration

brāhmaṇāṃścanamaskṛtya tebhyo vṛttīḥ pradāya ca | putre rājyaṃ samāropya prajādharme niveśya ca

Translation

അവൻ ബ്രാഹ്മണരെ നമസ്കരിച്ചു, അവർക്കു യോജ്യമായ വൃത്തി (ജീവിക) നൽകി. പിന്നെ പുത്രനെ രാജസിംഹാസനത്തിൽ സ്ഥാപിച്ച് പ്രജയെ ധർമ്മമാർഗ്ഗത്തിൽ ദൃഢമായി നിക്ഷേപിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• brāhmaṇān: Brahmins
• brāhmaṇān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction): च (and)

• namaskṛtya: having saluted
• namaskṛtya: Kriya-viseshana (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: namas-kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund): नमस्कृत्वा (having saluted)

• tebhyaḥ: to them
• tebhyaḥ: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सामान्य), पञ्चमी/चतुर्थी-बहुवचन; अत्र चतुर्थी (Dative/सम्प्रदान): ‘तेभ्यः’ (to them)

• vṛttīḥ: livelihoods/allowances
• vṛttīḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛtti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; जीविकाः/वृत्तयः (means of livelihood)

• pradāya: having given
• pradāya: Kriya-viseshana (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-dā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund): प्रदाय (having given)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction): च (and)

• putre: in the son
• putre: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन; अत्र सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण): पुत्रे (in/onto the son)

• rājyam: kingdom
• rājyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• samāropya: having installed
• samāropya: Kriya-viseshana (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-rup (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund): समारोप्य (having installed/placed)

• prajādharme: in the duty toward subjects
• prajādharme: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajā-dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी): प्रजायाः धर्मः; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Locative)

• niveśya: having established
• niveśya: Kriya-viseshana (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-viś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund): निवेश्य (having settled/established)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction): च (and)

Speaker

Skanda (narration context: Kāśīkhaṇḍa, typically Skanda to Agastya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king bows to brāhmaṇas, grants them endowments for livelihood, then ceremonially installs his son as king; citizens are instructed in dharma—an orderly handover.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Durdama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes reverence for spiritual teachers, rightful charity, and responsible transfer of power for the people’s welfare.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the post-Kāśī transformation narrative rather than naming a new tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Namaskāra to brāhmaṇas and dāna/support in the form of vṛttis (sustenance grants).