Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

धर्मज्ञश्च कृतज्ञश्च यज्वा दानरतः सदा । प्रजा ररक्ष यत्नेन पिता पुत्रानिवौरसान्

Transliteration

dharmajñaśca kṛtajñaśca yajvā dānarataḥ sadā | prajā rarakṣa yatnena pitā putrānivaurasān

Translation

Er war kundig im Dharma und voller Dankbarkeit, ein Opfernder, stets dem Geben zugetan. Mit Eifer schützte er seine Untertanen wie ein Vater seine eigenen Söhne.

Word by Word

• धर्मज्ञः: knower of dharma
• धर्मज्ञः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म-ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + ज्ञ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; राजा-विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कृतज्ञः: grateful; appreciative
• कृतज्ञः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत-ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक; कृत + ज्ञ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; राजा-विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• यज्वा: a sacrificer; one who performs yajñas
• यज्वा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यज् (धातु) + क्विप् (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त-नाम (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘यज्ञकर्ता’ अर्थे; राजा-विशेषण

• दानरतः: devoted to giving
• दानरतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान-रत (प्रातिपदिक; दान + रत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; राजा-विशेषण

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time/frequency)

• प्रजाः: the subjects; people
• प्रजाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• ररक्ष: protected
• ररक्ष: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• यत्नेन: with effort; diligently
• यत्नेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• पिता: (like) a father
• पिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; उपमान-रूपेण (as a father)

• पुत्रान्: sons
• पुत्रान्: Upameya (Object of comparison/उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Upama-marker (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• औरसान्: own; legitimate (born of one’s body)
• औरसान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: औरस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन; पुत्रान्-विशेषण

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A righteous king Devapanna performs yajña, gives gifts to supplicants, and stands watchfully over his people; subjects appear secure, like children under a father’s protection.

Characters & Entities

• Devapanna
• Dharma
• Yajña
• Dāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rulers and householders alike are praised for dharma-knowledge, gratitude, yajña, dāna, and compassionate protection—core pillars of Purāṇic dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named in this verse; it characterizes the king whose story will ground the tīrtha’s māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Yajña (sacrificial worship) and dāna (charitable giving) are highlighted as his steady practices.