Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

तत्र तुष्टा महालक्ष्मीर्निवसेद्दानवारिणा । वाणिज्यं नीचसेवा च वेदानध्ययनं तथा

Transliteration

tatra tuṣṭā mahālakṣmīrnivaseddānavāriṇā | vāṇijyaṃ nīcasevā ca vedānadhyayanaṃ tathā

Translation

ณ ที่นั้น มหาลักษมีผู้เปรมปรีดิ์สถิตอยู่กับผู้ที่หันหลังให้แก่ ‘ทาน’ อันเกิดจากอธรรม การค้าขาย การรับใช้คนต่ำ และแม้การศึกษาเวทเพื่อเลี้ยงชีพ ก็พึงเว้นในเจตนานั้น

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; देशवाचक-अव्यय

• तुष्टा: pleased
• तुष्टा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुष् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle, active sense), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• महा: great
• महा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपदम्; विशेषणम्

• लक्ष्मीः: Mahālakṣmī
• लक्ष्मीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'महा-लक्ष्मीः' कर्मधारयः

• निवसेत्: should dwell
• निवसेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दान: gift/charity
• दान: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-तत्पुरुषे पूर्वपदम्

• वारिणा: by (means of) charity
• वारिणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; 'दान-वारिणा' = दानेन वारिणा (by the water of giving/charity as means)

• वाणिज्यम्: trade/commerce
• वाणिज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाणिज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नीच: low/mean
• नीच: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नीच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपदम्; विशेषणम्

• सेवा: service to low persons
• सेवा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'नीच-सेवा' = नीचानां सेवा

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

• वेद: Veda
• वेद: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-तत्पुरुषे पूर्वपदम् (object member)

• अनध्ययनम्: non-study of the Vedas
• अनध्ययनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन् + अधि + इ (धातु) + अन (कृदन्त/भाववाचक)
• Form: भाववाचक-नाम (verbal noun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'वेद-अनध्ययनम्' = वेदानाम् अनध्ययनम् (non-study)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus/likewise)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced, Brāhma Khaṇḍa dharma-narration context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder turning away from a tainted gift; Mahālakṣmī appears seated on a lotus within the home, indicating prosperity born of purity; symbols of trade/service/paid recitation shown as temptations set aside.

Characters & Entities

• Mahālakṣmī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Prosperity (Lakṣmī) is linked to purity of means—wealth should be earned and received without adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse speaks of dharmic livelihood and the presence of Lakṣmī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It emphasizes refusing improper ‘gifts’ (dāna-vāraṇa) and cautions against livelihoods/actions that compromise dharma.