Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

बालोऽधिपो यथा ग्रामे स्वेच्छया पीडयेज्जनान् । स्वैरमाक्रम्य गृह्णाति कोशवासांसि चासकृत्

Transliteration

bālo'dhipo yathā grāme svecchayā pīḍayejjanān | svairamākramya gṛhṇāti kośavāsāṃsi cāsakṛt

Translation

Wie ein kindischer Herrscher in einem Dorf die Menschen nach Laune bedrückt — selbstherrlich umhertritt und immer wieder Schatzkammer und Gewänder an sich reißt — so handelte er.

Word by Word

• बालः: a boy/child
• बालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; Nominative singular (masc.)

• अधिपः: a ruler/lord
• अधिपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; Nominative singular (masc.)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; उपमानवाचक

• ग्रामे: in a village
• ग्रामे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम्; Locative singular (masc.)

• स्वेच्छया: by his own will
• स्वेच्छया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्; Instrumental singular (fem.)

• पीडयेत्: would oppress
• पीडयेत्: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पीड् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम्; Parasmaipada

• जनान्: people
• जनान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्; Accusative plural (masc.)

• स्वैरम्: at will/arbitrarily
• स्वैरम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वैर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे क्रियाविशेषणवत्; नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम् (adverbial accusative)

• आक्रम्य: having attacked
• आक्रम्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial to verb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययम् (gerund); having attacked/overrun

• गृह्णाति: takes/seizes
• गृह्णाति: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम्; Parasmaipada

• कोशवासांसि: treasures and garments
• कोशवासांसि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोश + वासांसि (प्रातिपदिके; वासस्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया बहुवचनम्; Accusative plural (neuter); द्वन्द्वः: ‘treasury and garments’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• असकृत्: repeatedly
• असकृत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: असकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; आवृत्तिवाचक (adverb: repeatedly)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (narrating)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: pārthiva-sattama (addressed king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A swaggering, immature ruler-figure storms through a village, seizing cloth and treasury; townsfolk recoil in fear, women clutch garments, elders plead—an image of social dharma collapsing.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power without dharma becomes childish tyranny; righteous rule protects wealth, dignity, and peace rather than plundering them.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse offers a moral-political simile (rājadharma).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.