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Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 21

शूद्रस्य द्विजशुश्रूषा तया जीवन्वणिग्भवेत् । शिल्पैर्वा विविधैर्जीवेद्द्विजातिहितमाचरन्

śūdrasya dvijaśuśrūṣā tayā jīvanvaṇigbhavet | śilpairvā vividhairjīveddvijātihitamācaran

สำหรับศูทร การปรนนิบัติรับใช้ผู้เกิดสองครั้ง (ทวิชะ) คือเลี้ยงชีพอันเหมาะสม ด้วยสิ่งนั้นเขาอาจรุ่งเรืองได้ดุจพ่อค้า หรือจะดำรงชีพด้วยศิลปหัตถกรรมหลากหลาย โดยประพฤติเพื่อประโยชน์แก่ทวิชะเสมอ

शूद्रस्यof the Śūdra
शूद्रस्य:
Shashthi-sambandha
TypeNoun
Rootशूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन
द्विजशुश्रूषाservice to the twice-born
द्विजशुश्रूषा:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—द्विजानां शुश्रूषा (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)
तयाby that (service)
तया:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
जीवन्living/earning a living
जीवन्:
Kriya-vishesana (Concomitant action)
TypeVerb
Rootजीव् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
Formवर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘भवेत्’ इत्यस्य सह क्रियाविशेषणभावः
वणिक्a trader
वणिक्:
Samanaadhikarana (Predicate nominal)
TypeNoun
Rootवणिज्/वणिक् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
भवेत्may become
भवेत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन
शिल्पैःby crafts
शिल्पैः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootशिल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन
वाor
वा:
Samuccaya/Option (Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विकल्प (or)
विविधैःvarious
विविधैः:
Visheshana
TypeAdjective
Rootविविध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; शिल्पैः इति विशेषण
जीवेत्should live/earn
जीवेत्:
Kriya
TypeVerb
Rootजीव् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन
द्विजातिहितम्what is beneficial to the twice-born
द्विजातिहितम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विजाति (प्रातिपदिक) + हित (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—द्विजातेः हितम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)
आचरन्practising/doing
आचरन्:
Kriya-vishesana (Concomitant action)
TypeVerb
Rootआ + चर् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
Formवर्तमानकाले कर्तरि कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘जीवेत्’ इत्यस्य सह क्रियाविशेषणभावः

Unspecified (narrative instruction within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa; likely within Sūta’s recitation context)

Listener: vatsa (disciple/son-figure; unspecified in the given excerpt)

Scene: A craftsman and a temple-servant: one repairing a shrine lamp/doorway, another offering water to a scholar-priest; the emphasis is dignified labor and service as sacred support.

Ś
Śūdra
D
Dvija (twice-born)

FAQs

Livelihood should be aligned with dharma—service, honest craft, and conduct aimed at social and religious welfare.

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it gives general dharma guidance within the chapter’s narrative.

No specific rite is prescribed here; the instruction concerns ethical livelihood and supportive conduct.