Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 95

Devanagari script

म्रियमाणोऽप्याददीत न राजा ब्राह्मणात्करम् । न च क्षुधा ऽस्य संसीदेद्ब्राह्मणो विषये वसन्

Transliteration

mriyamāṇo'pyādadīta na rājā brāhmaṇātkaram | na ca kṣudhā 'sya saṃsīdedbrāhmaṇo viṣaye vasan

Translation

แม้ยามใกล้ตาย พระราชาก็มิควรเก็บส่วยภาษีจากพราหมณ์; และพราหมณ์ที่อยู่ในแว่นแคว้นของพระราชาไม่ควรถูกปล่อยให้ทรมานด้วยความหิวโหย

Word by Word

• म्रियमाणः: dying
• म्रियमाणः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: म्रियमाण (कृदन्त; √मृ (धातु) श्यन्-प्रत्यय, वर्तमानकाले)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्/आनच्) आत्मनेपद-प्रयोगः

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि = ‘even/also’

• आददीत: should take
• आददीत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणात्: from a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमीविभक्ति, एकवचन

• करम्: tax/tribute
• करम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• क्षुधा: by hunger
• क्षुधा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुध् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अस्य: of him/of this (kingdom)
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठीविभक्ति, एकवचन (gender-contextual)

• संसीदेत्: should sink/fall into distress
• संसीदेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√सद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ब्राह्मणः: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विषये: in the realm/territory
• विषये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमीविभक्ति, एकवचन

• वसन्: dwelling
• वसन्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वसत् (कृदन्त; √वस् (धातु) शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ)

Speaker

Śiva (deduced from nearby verses identifying Brāhmaṇas as Śiva’s form)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Audience seeking tīrtha and dharma instruction

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king refuses to accept tax from a humble brāhmaṇa; instead he orders food distribution. The brāhmaṇa is shown dignified, not destitute, emphasizing the king’s duty to prevent hunger.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Rājā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rājadharma requires protecting and sustaining Brāhmaṇas; exploiting them through taxation or neglect is adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, within the Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya of the Skanda Purāṇa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A governance-based injunction: do not levy taxes on Brāhmaṇas and ensure they are fed—an implied form of dāna and protection.