Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

स्वर्णकृत्कंबुकश्चैव तन्दुलीपुष्पलावकः । तांबूली नापितश्चैव मणिकारश्च सप्तधा

Transliteration

svarṇakṛtkaṃbukaścaiva tandulīpuṣpalāvakaḥ | tāṃbūlī nāpitaścaiva maṇikāraśca saptadhā

Translation

അവർ ഏഴുവിധം—സ്വർണ്ണകാരൻ, ശംഖകാരൻ, അരിയും പുഷ്പവും ഒരുക്കുന്നവൻ, ലാവാ/വറുത്ത ധാന്യം നൽകുന്നവൻ, താംബൂൽ വിൽപ്പനക്കാരൻ, നാപിതൻ (ക്ഷൗരികൻ), കൂടാതെ മണികാരൻ (രത്നകാരൻ)।

Word by Word

• स्वर्णकृत्: goldsmith; worker in gold
• स्वर्णकृत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत् (कृ धातु-निष्पन्न प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; स्वर्णं करोति इति

• कम्बुकः: kambuka (a named artisan/occupation term)
• कम्बुकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कम्बुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• तन्दुलीपुष्पलावकः: tandulī-puṣpa cutter/harvester (occupation term)
• तन्दुलीपुष्पलावकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तन्दुली (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + लावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तन्दुलीपुष्पं लावयति/लावकः इति (occupation term)

• ताम्बूली: betel-seller; betel preparer
• ताम्बूली: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताम्बूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ताम्बूल-विक्रेता/सेवकः

• नापितः: barber
• नापितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नापित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• मणिकारः: jeweller; gem-worker
• मणिकारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मणि (प्रातिपदिक) + कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; मणिं करोति/निर्माति इति

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• सप्तधा: in seven ways; sevenfold
• सप्तधा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सप्तधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

Speaker

Brahmā (in Brahma–Nārada dialogue context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A bustling tīrtha bazaar near a temple gate: goldsmith at anvil, conch-worker carving, flower-and-rice preparer with baskets, roasted-grain seller, betel vendor, barber shaving a pilgrim, jeweller displaying gems.

Characters & Entities

• svarṇakṛt
• kaṃbuka
• tāṃbūlī
• nāpita
• maṇikāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Everyday livelihoods are acknowledged within dharma; society’s necessary services are integrated into a sacred moral order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The surrounding narrative sits within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya in the Nāgara Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is given; the verse enumerates artisan categories relevant to dharmic discussion.