Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 109

Devanagari script

पुत्रभ्रातृसमारूपैः स्वामिसम्बन्धरूपिभिः । लङ्केश्वरं च राजेन्द्र देवैर्नाद्यापि मुच्यते

Transliteration

putrabhrātṛsamārūpaiḥ svāmisambandharūpibhiḥ | laṅkeśvaraṃ ca rājendra devairnādyāpi mucyate

Translation

يا سيّد الملوك، إنّ الآلهة إلى اليوم لا تُطلق سيّدَ لَنْكا، إذ هم مقيّدون بروابط تتجلّى في صورة البنوة والأخوّة—علاقات ولاءٍ لسيدٍ ومولى.

Word by Word

• पुत्र-भ्रातृ-सम-रूपैः: by (those) having forms like sons and brothers
• पुत्र-भ्रातृ-सम-रूपैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः: पुत्रभ्रातृ (द्वन्द्व) + सम (तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय) + रूप (तत्पुरुष) = 'having forms similar to sons and brothers'

• स्वामि-सम्बन्ध-रूपिभिः: by (those) embodying the relation of a master
• स्वामि-सम्बन्ध-रूपिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वामि (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्बन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः: स्वामिसम्बन्ध (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष 'relation of a master') + रूपिन् (तत्पुरुष 'having the form/nature of')

• लङ्का-ईश्वरम्: the lord of Laṅkā (Rāvaṇa)
• लङ्का-ईश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लङ्का (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'lord of Laṅkā'

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

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; समासः राजन् + इन्द्र = 'king of kings'

• देवैः: by the gods
• देवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: today/now)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• मुच्यते: is released/freed
• मुच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Deductive (Revā Khaṇḍa narrative voice)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A courtly scene: devas in assembly, a powerful king of Laṅkā symbolically ‘not released’—shown with subtle fetters made of garlands/threads labeled as son/brother ties, conveying bondage through relationship rather than chains.

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Laṅkeśvara (Lord of Laṅkā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even powerful beings are constrained by relational bonds and cosmic obligations; dharma operates through ties of duty and allegiance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tirtha is directly praised; the verse serves as narrative context within the Revā Khaṇḍa’s pilgrimage framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative-theological statement about bonds and non-release.