Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

चिकित्सकान्देवलकान्मांस विक्रयिणस्तथा । विपणैः पीरजीवंतो वर्ज्याः स्युर्हव्यकव्ययोः

Transliteration

cikitsakāndevalakānmāṃsa vikrayiṇastathā | vipaṇaiḥ pīrajīvaṃto varjyāḥ syurhavyakavyayoḥ

Translation

ചികിത്സകർ, വേതനത്തിനായി ക്ഷേത്രസേവ ചെയ്യുന്ന ദേവലകർ, മാംസം വിൽക്കുന്നവർ, കൂടാതെ ചന്ത‑വ്യാപാരത്തിൽ ജീവിക്കുന്നവർ—ഇവർ ഹവ്യ‑കവ്യ ഇരുവിധ കർമങ്ങളിലും വർജ്യർ।

Word by Word

• cikitsakān: physicians
• cikitsakān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cikitsaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• devalakān: temple-servants/priests for hire (devalakas)
• devalakān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devalaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• māṃsa-vikrayiṇaḥ: sellers of meat
• māṃsa-vikrayiṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māṃsa (प्रातिपदिक) + vikrayin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (māṃsasya vikrayī)

• tathā: and likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थे

• vipaṇaiḥ: by trade/markets (by means of commerce)
• vipaṇaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• pīra-jīvantaḥ: those living by pīra (a low/impure livelihood)
• pīra-jīvantaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pīra (प्रातिपदिक) + jīvant (√jīv + शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त ‘jīvant’; तत्पुरुषः (pīreṇa jīvantaḥ / pīra-āśritajīvikāḥ)

• varjyāḥ: to be avoided
• varjyāḥ: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: varjya (√vṛj/√varj + यत्)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘to be avoided’

• syuḥ: should be
• syuḥ: Kriyā (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• havya-kavyayoḥ: in/for the havya and kavya offerings
• havya-kavyayoḥ: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: havya (प्रातिपदिक) + kavya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वः

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa māhātmya discourse style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śrāddha-performing pilgrims/householders

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A śrāddha setting with symbolic figures representing excluded professions: a physician with herbal pouch, a wage-temple priest with coin, a meat-seller with scales, a trader at a stall—shown outside the ritual boundary; inside, qualified brāhmaṇas receive offerings.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual roles are framed as requiring a livelihood and conduct aligned with purity and restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, whose māhātmya includes detailed dharma for offerings to gods and ancestors.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoid certain livelihood-based categories as recipients/participants in havya (deva) and kavya (pitṛ) rites.