Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

दशवर्षसहस्राणि दशवर्षशतानि च । ब्रह्मचर्येण चक्रे स राज्यं निहतकंटकम्

Transliteration

daśavarṣasahasrāṇi daśavarṣaśatāni ca | brahmacaryeṇa cakre sa rājyaṃ nihatakaṃṭakam

Translation

দশ সহস্র বছর এবং আরও দশ শত বছর তিনি ব্রহ্মচর্য পালন করে রাজ্য শাসন করলেন, আর রাজ্যকে কণ্টকমুক্ত—নির্বিঘ্ন—করলেন।

Word by Word

• दशवर्षसहस्राणि: ten-thousand years (lit. thousands of ten-years)
• दशवर्षसहस्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश + वर्ष + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (दश वर्षाणि = दशवर्ष; तेषां सहस्राणि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (neuter acc. pl.)

• दशवर्षशतानि: hundreds of ten-years
• दशवर्षशतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश + वर्ष + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (दशवर्षाणि; तेषां शतानि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (neuter acc. pl.)

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

• ब्रह्मचर्येण: by celibacy/continence
• ब्रह्मचर्येण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (neuter instrumental sg.)

• चक्रे: performed/maintained
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masc. nom. sg.)

• राज्यम्: kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter acc. sg.)

• निहतकण्टकम्: free of thorns/obstacles (i.e., trouble-free)
• निहतकण्टकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निहत + कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (निहताः कण्टकाः यस्मिन्/यस्य); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter acc. sg.), राज्यं विशेषयति

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A long reign depicted symbolically: Rāma as ascetic-king, calm and vigilant; citizens safe, roads clear, fields prosperous; ‘thorns’ (bandits, injustice) subdued by dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Personal discipline (brahmacarya) is presented as a source of public order, turning governance into a dharmic protection for all.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it supports the chapter’s broader māhātmya narrative setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly praises brahmacarya as a dharmic observance, but no concrete rite (snāna/dāna/japa) is specified.