Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 92

Devanagari script

क्षत्रस्यातिप्रवृद्धस्य ब्राह्मणानां प्रभावतः । ब्राह्मं हि परमं पूज्यं क्षत्रं हि ब्रह्मसंभवम्

Transliteration

kṣatrasyātipravṛddhasya brāhmaṇānāṃ prabhāvataḥ | brāhmaṃ hi paramaṃ pūjyaṃ kṣatraṃ hi brahmasaṃbhavam

Translation

وإن تضخّمت سلطة الملوك (الكشترَة) غاية التضخّم، فذلك إنما يكون بتأثير البراهمة. فإن مبدأ البراهمن (brahman) هو الأجدر بالتبجيل على الإطلاق، والكشترَة نفسها تنشأ من البراهمن.

Word by Word

• क्षत्रस्य: of the kṣatra (royal power/warrior order)
• क्षत्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठीविभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अति-प्रवृद्धस्य: of (it) greatly grown/excessively increased
• अति-प्रवृद्धस्य: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + प्रवृद्ध (कृदन्त; √वृध् (धातु) + प्र-उपसर्ग)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठीविभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘प्रवृद्ध’ = greatly increased

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

• प्रभावतः: due to (their) power/influence
• प्रभावतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) = ‘from/owing to (the) power’

• ब्राह्मम्: the Brahminical (power/authority)
• ब्राह्मम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पूज्यम्: worthy of worship
• पूज्यम्: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज्य (कृदन्त; √पूज् (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कृदन्त (यत्) = ‘to be worshipped’

• क्षत्रम्: the kṣatra (royal power)
• क्षत्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• ब्रह्म-सम्भवम्: born from Brahman (i.e., originating from Brahmins/Brahma)
• ब्रह्म-सम्भवम्: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः सम्भवः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king with a modest retinue bows before a seated brāhmaṇa council near a temple courtyard, symbolizing royal power tempered by brahmanical guidance.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Kṣatra
• Brahman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Political power must remain rooted in spiritual wisdom; kṣatra is legitimate and stable only when aligned with brahmanic guidance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, as the narrative context for dharma teaching associated with the holy region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is specified; it is a doctrinal statement supporting reverence and proper governance.