Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

राजप्रतिग्रहो घोरो राम सत्यं न संशयः । तस्माद्वयं न चेच्छामः प्रतिग्रहं भया वहम्

Transliteration

rājapratigraho ghoro rāma satyaṃ na saṃśayaḥ | tasmādvayaṃ na cecchāmaḥ pratigrahaṃ bhayā vaham

Translation

„Gaben von einem König anzunehmen ist schrecklich, o Rāma—das ist wahr, ohne Zweifel. Darum begehren wir solche Annahme nicht, denn sie bringt Furcht und Gefahr.“

Word by Word

• राजप्रतिग्रहः: accepting gifts from a king
• राजप्रतिग्रहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रतिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (राज्ञः प्रतिग्रहः = acceptance from a king)

• घोरः: terrible
• घोरः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘राजप्रतिग्रहः’)

• राम: O Rāma
• राम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• सत्यम्: true
• सत्यम्: Karta (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; वाक्ये विधेय (predicate)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तस्मात्: therefore, from that (reason)
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक तद्)
• Form: तद्-प्रातिपदिकस्य पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपम् अव्ययवत्; हेत्वर्थे (ablative of cause)

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation particle)

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

• इच्छामः: we desire
• इच्छामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• प्रतिग्रहम्: acceptance (of gifts)
• प्रतिग्रहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• भयावहम्: bringing fear
• भयावहम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक) + आवह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (भयम् आवहति इति) विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘प्रतिग्रहम्’)

Speaker

Ascetic brāhmaṇas (addressing Rāma; framed by Brahmā’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (implied) sages/assembly; narrative audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages speak firmly to Rāma, palms raised in refusal; the atmosphere is respectful yet tense, emphasizing the dread of royal gifts; Rāma’s face shows understanding and restraint.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Rājapratigraha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Gifts can create bondage; refusing dangerous patronage safeguards dharma and inner freedom.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is specified; the verse is a dharma statement within the Dharmāraṇya section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prohibition/avoidance: do not accept rāja-dāna (royal gifts) when it threatens spiritual safety.