Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

तेषां मध्यात्तु संजाता अढवीजा वणिग्जनाः । शुश्रूषार्थं ब्राह्मणानां राज्ञा सर्वे निरूपिताः

Transliteration

teṣāṃ madhyāttu saṃjātā aḍhavījā vaṇigjanāḥ | śuśrūṣārthaṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ rājñā sarve nirūpitāḥ

Translation

在他们之中生出了阿陀毗阇（Aḍhavīja）商人之族；国王将他们全体任命，令其以侍奉婆罗门为务。

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• मध्यात्: from the midst
• मध्यात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वय-बोधक particle

• संजाताः: born; arisen
• संजाताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + जन् (धातु) → संजात (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; past participle sense

• अढवीजाः: Aḍhavījas (a group/people)
• अढवीजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अढवीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; जाति/समूहवाचक

• वणिक्-जनाः: merchant folk
• वणिक्-जनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वणिक् + जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (वणिजः जनाः = merchant-people)

• शुश्रूषार्थम्: for the purpose of service
• शुश्रूषार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषा + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थे (शुश्रूषायाः अर्थः = for the purpose of service)

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• राज्ञा: by the king
• राज्ञा: Karana (Agent/Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• निरूपिताः: appointed; assigned
• निरूपिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + रूप् (धातु) → निरूपित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; passive sense (appointed/assigned)

Speaker

Unknown (narrative voice within Brāhma Khaṇḍa; likely Sūta-style narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king in court appoints a newly formed merchant community to serve learned Brāhmaṇas—depicting scrolls, weighing scales, and respectful gestures (añjali) toward Vedic scholars.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• King (rājā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Social roles become meritorious when aligned to dharma—especially service that sustains sacred learning and righteous conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Dharmāraṇya context frames the narrative; the verse itself focuses on dharma-oriented social appointment rather than a tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the emphasis is on śuśrūṣā (service) as a dharmic duty.