Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

सार्वभौमो महीपाल एकोऽन्यश्च निरीहकः । सुभगस्तु तयोर्नित्यं भूयाद्भूयो निरीहकः

Transliteration

sārvabhaumo mahīpāla eko'nyaśca nirīhakaḥ | subhagastu tayornityaṃ bhūyādbhūyo nirīhakaḥ

Translation

قد يكون أحدهما ملكًا كونيًّا حاميًا للأرض، وقد يكون الآخر زاهدًا لا رغبة له ولا سعي. غير أنّ السعيد حقًّا—مرة بعد مرة—هو من تحرّر من الطمع والشهوة.

Word by Word

• सार्वभौमः: universal (sovereign)
• सार्वभौमः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सार्व + भौम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सर्वः भौमः/भूमेः स्वामी); विशेषण (महीपालः)

• महीपालः: king (protector of the earth)
• महीपालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः मह्याः पालः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• एकः: one
• एकः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अन्यः: another
• अन्यः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

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

• निरीहकः: one without desire/effortless
• निरीहकः: Karta (Subject/predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरीहक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण/संज्ञा

• सुभगः: fortunate
• सुभगः: Karta (Subject/predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुभग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषणार्थक (but/indeed)

• तयोः: of the two
• तयोः: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adverbial (Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे अव्ययवत्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: always)

• भूयात्: may be/become
• भूयात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• भूयः: more/again
• भूयः: Adverbial (Degree)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्/भूयः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरर्थक/अधिक्यवाचक (again/more)

• निरीहकः: desireless
• निरीहकः: Karta (Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरीहक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (सुभगः)

Speaker

Atri (contextual continuation of the teaching)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis / pilgrims as implied audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic tableau: on one side a crowned universal monarch with attendants; on the other a serene, simply clad ascetic. The radiance of ‘fortune’ subtly surrounds the desireless one.

Characters & Entities

• king (mahīpāla)
• universal monarch (sārvabhauma)
• nirīhaka (desireless ascetic)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly sovereignty is inferior to inner freedom; the greatest auspiciousness is desirelessness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a named site in this verse; it supports the Māhātmya theme that pilgrimage sanctity is measured by detachment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual; it offers a value-judgment elevating desirelessness as the highest blessing.