Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

स राजा सकलास्त्रज्ञः शास्त्रज्ञः श्रुतिपारगः । वीरोऽत्यंतबलोत्साहो नित्योद्योगी दयानिधिः

Transliteration

sa rājā sakalāstrajñaḥ śāstrajñaḥ śrutipāragaḥ | vīro'tyaṃtabalotsāho nityodyogī dayānidhiḥ

Translation

Jener König war kundig in allen Waffen, bewandert in den Śāstras und der Vedenlehre vollkommen mächtig; ein Held von überragender Kraft und Tatendrang, stets eifrig und ein Ozean des Mitgefühls.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• rājā: king
• rājā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sakala-astra-jñaḥ: knower of all weapons
• sakala-astra-jñaḥ: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sakala (प्रातिपदिक) + astra (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (sakalānām astrāṇāṃ jñaḥ)

• śāstra-jñaḥ: knower of scriptures/treatises
• śāstra-jñaḥ: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (śāstrasya jñaḥ)

• śruti-pāragaḥ: versed in the Vedas (śruti)
• śruti-pāragaḥ: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śruti (प्रातिपदिक) + pāraga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (śruteḥ pāragaḥ = one who has gone to the far shore of śruti)

• vīraḥ: heroic
• vīraḥ: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• atyaṃta-bala-utsāhaḥ: of extreme strength and zeal
• atyaṃta-bala-utsāhaḥ: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: atyaṃta (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक) + utsāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समास (अत्यन्तं बलं च उत्साहश्च यस्य/अत्यन्तबलयुक्त उत्साहः) — बहुधा प्रयोगे विशेषणरूपेण

• nitya-udyogī: ever industrious
• nitya-udyogī: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक) + udyogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (नित्यः उद्योगः यस्य/नित्यं उद्योगी)

• dayā-nidhiḥ: treasury of compassion
• dayā-nidhiḥ: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dayā (प्रातिपदिक) + nidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (dayāyāḥ nidhiḥ)

Speaker

Deductive: Purāṇic narrator within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa (likely Sūta-style narration to sages)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Purāṇic audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mitrasaha depicted with bow and quiver, but also with a manuscript or Vedic symbol; his gaze is compassionate, suggesting strength governed by wisdom.

Characters & Entities

• Mitrasaha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True rāja-dharma unites power with learning and compassion, not mere martial prowess.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse continues the character-description within a kathā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it sets ethical context for later religious instruction.