Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

वणिक्स्त्रियः प्रकुर्वंति कंडनं पेषणादिकम् । शुश्रूषंति च तान्विप्रान्काजेशवचनेन हि

Transliteration

vaṇikstriyaḥ prakurvaṃti kaṃḍanaṃ peṣaṇādikam | śuśrūṣaṃti ca tānviprānkājeśavacanena hi

Translation

تاجروں کی عورتیں کوٹنے، پیسنے وغیرہ کے کام کرتی تھیں۔ اور کाजیش کے حکم کے مطابق وہ اُن برہمنوں کی دلجمعی سے خدمت کرتی تھیں۔

Word by Word

• वणिक्-स्त्रियः: merchant-women
• वणिक्-स्त्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वणिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्ता

• प्रकुर्वन्ति: do/perform
• प्रकुर्वन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र- कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• कण्डनम्: pounding/crushing
• कण्डनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्डन (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाववाचक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म

• पेषणादिकम्: grinding, etc.
• पेषणादिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पेषण + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (additional items)

• शुश्रूषन्ति: serve/attend upon
• शुश्रूषन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुश्रूष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कर्म (object of शुश्रूषन्ति)

• विप्रान्: brāhmaṇas
• विप्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; कर्म (apposition to तान्)

• काजेश-वचनेन: by/according to Kājeśa’s word/command
• काजेश-वचनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काजेश (प्रातिपदिक) + वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/हेतु (instrumental: 'by/according to the word')

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Merchant women in a sacred courtyard grinding grain on stone querns, pounding in mortars, preparing provisions; nearby dvijas are respectfully attended; an overseeing figure (Kājeśa’s authority) implied by attendants or insignia.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra
• Kājeśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Everyday work becomes sacred when offered as service to dharma and to those engaged in learning and ritual.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya, shown as a functioning sacred community where service supports spiritual activity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; it describes practical seva (assistance to vipras) performed under Kājeśa’s directive.