Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

कृत्वा वर्षायुतं राज्यमव्याहतबलोन्नतिः । राज्यं पुत्रेषु विन्यस्य भेजे शंभोः परं पदम्

Transliteration

kṛtvā varṣāyutaṃ rājyamavyāhatabalonnatiḥ | rājyaṃ putreṣu vinyasya bheje śaṃbhoḥ paraṃ padam

Translation

Nachdem er zehntausend Jahre lang das Reich regiert hatte, mit ungeschwächter Kraft und stets wachsendem Gedeihen, übergab er die Herrschaft seinen Söhnen und gelangte zur höchsten Wohnstatt Śambhus (Śivas).

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having done / having performed
• कृत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), धातु: कृ; पूर्वक्रिया (having done)

• वर्षायुतम्: (for) ten-thousand years
• वर्षायुतम्: Karma (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ष + अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समास: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वर्षाणाम् अयुतम् = ten-thousand years)

• राज्यम्: kingdom, rule
• राज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• अव्याहतबलोन्नतिः: (he) whose strength and rise were unhindered
• अव्याहतबलोन्नतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव्याहत + बल + उन्नति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: अव्याहतं बलं च उन्नतिश्च यस्य सः (one whose strength and prosperity are unimpaired)

• राज्यम्: the kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• पुत्रेषु: among/on (his) sons
• पुत्रेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• विन्यस्य: having entrusted/assigned
• विन्यस्य: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + अस्/स्य (धातु: न्यस्/विन्यस्)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), धातु: वि+नि+अस् (to place/assign)

• भेजे: attained / resorted to
• भेजे: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्ष), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शंभोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karma (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण (to पदम्)

• पदम्: state/abode
• पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (contextual, narrative continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A venerable king, radiant yet detached, places the royal insignia into his sons’ hands; behind him a serene Śiva-loka vision—Śambhu seated in calm majesty—signifying the king’s final ascent.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly duty (rājadharma) can culminate in liberation when power is relinquished responsibly and devotion is directed to Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; the focus is on Śiva’s supreme abode (śāṃbhava/parama pada).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is prescribed; the act highlighted is dharmic renunciation—handing over the kingdom to heirs and turning to Śiva.