Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

ऋतामृताभ्यां जीवेत मृतेन प्रमृतेन वा । सत्यानृताभ्यां जीवेत न श्ववृत्त्या कथंचन

Transliteration

ṛtāmṛtābhyāṃ jīveta mṛtena pramṛtena vā | satyānṛtābhyāṃ jīveta na śvavṛttyā kathaṃcana

Translation

ମନୁଷ୍ୟ ଋତ ଓ ଅମୃତ ଦ୍ୱାରା, କିମ୍ବା ମୃତ ଓ ପ୍ରମୃତ ଦ୍ୱାରା ମଧ୍ୟ ଜୀବିକା କରୁ; ସତ୍ୟାନୃତ (ମିଶ୍ର) ଉପାୟରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଚାଲିପାରେ, କିନ୍ତୁ କେବେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଶ୍ୱବୃତ୍ତି—କୁକୁରସଦୃଶ ପରାଧୀନ ସେବା—ଦ୍ୱାରା ନୁହେଁ।

Word by Word

• ऋतामृताभ्याम्: by ṛta and amṛta (two lawful means of livelihood)
• ऋतामृताभ्याम्: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत + अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन

• जीवेत: should live
• जीवेत: Kriya (Injunction/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जीव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मृतेन: by mṛta (a permitted means)
• मृतेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• प्रमृतेन: by pramṛta (a permitted means)
• प्रमृतेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• सत्यानृताभ्याम्: by truth and untruth (as means of livelihood)
• सत्यानृताभ्याम्: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य + अनृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन

• जीवेत: should live
• जीवेत: Kriya (Injunction/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जीव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• श्ववृत्त्या: by a dog's livelihood (servile/impure living)
• श्ववृत्त्या: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्ववृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• कथंचन: in any way at all
• कथंचन: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सर्वथा/कदापि-निषेधसह (in any way/at all)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher enumerates four graded livelihoods on a palm-leaf diagram; a figure refuses a dog-like servile posture, standing upright with staff and water pot, symbolizing dignified self-reliance.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma regulates livelihood: better to adopt lesser options in hardship than to lose dignity and purity through servile dependence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra is the narrative setting; the teaching frames how residents/pilgrims should live dharmically in this sacred region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not a ritual act but a dharmic rule: prefer permitted means of sustenance and avoid śvavṛtti.