Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

क्षत्रियाश्चापि भूपालमेकं कृत्वा सुभक्तितः । तदादेशात्प्रभुंजंति महीं धर्मेण नित्यशः

Transliteration

kṣatriyāścāpi bhūpālamekaṃ kṛtvā subhaktitaḥ | tadādeśātprabhuṃjaṃti mahīṃ dharmeṇa nityaśaḥ

Translation

সেখানে ক্ষত্রিয়রাও গভীর ভক্তিতে একমাত্র ভূপালকে স্বীকার করে। তাঁর আদেশে তারা ধর্মমতে নিত্য পৃথিবী শাসন ও ভোগ করে।

Word by Word

• kṣatriyāḥ: Kshatriyas
• kṣatriyāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣatriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-कारार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• bhūpālam: king (protector of the earth)
• bhūpālam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū + pāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• ekam: one (single)
• ekam: Karman (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (bhūpālam)

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Sambandha (Prior action/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having made’

• subhaktitaḥ: out of good devotion
• subhaktitaḥ: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su + bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative; adverbial ‘from/through’), एकवचन; ‘सु-भक्तेः’

• tad-ādeśāt: by his command
• tad-ādeśāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad + ādeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; ‘तस्य आदेशात्’

• prabhuñjanti: enjoy / rule / administer
• prabhuñjanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + bhuj (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• mahīm: the earth
• mahīm: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• dharmeṇa: by righteousness / lawfully
• dharmeṇa: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; साधन/प्रकारार्थे

• nityaśaḥ: always
• nityaśaḥ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityaśaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/आवृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: always/continually)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice within Nāgarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dhārmic court scene near a temple: a single crowned king receiving homage from kṣatriya chiefs; in the background, the kṣetra’s shrine and prosperous fields—suggesting governance ‘by command’ yet within dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Kṣatriya
• Bhūpāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha’s greatness is shown through rājadharma: power is exercised under dharma, unity, and devotion rather than greed or factionalism.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya region in general; no specific locality name appears in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse presents ethical governance (rājadharma) as the characteristic practice.