Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

अस्मिन्वंशे क्षितौ कोपि राजा यदि भविष्यति । तस्याहं करलग्नोस्मि मद्दत्तं यदि पाल्यते

Transliteration

asminvaṃśe kṣitau kopi rājā yadi bhaviṣyati | tasyāhaṃ karalagnosmi maddattaṃ yadi pālyate

Translation

Wenn in diesem Geschlecht auf Erden irgendein König entstehen sollte, bin ich an seine Hand gebunden — sofern das von mir Gegebene rechtmäßig bewahrt wird.

Word by Word

• asmin: in this
• asmin: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम् (Locative Singular); विशेषणम् (vaṃśe)

• vaṃśe: in the lineage
• vaṃśe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम् (Masculine, Locative, Singular)

• kṣitau: on earth
• kṣitau: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣiti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम् (Feminine, Locative, Singular)

• kaḥ: someone
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); अनिश्चितार्थक (someone)

• api: even/any
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अनिश्चितार्थक-सहायक-अव्ययम् (ever/any)

• rājā: king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्ययम् (if)

• bhaviṣyati: will be
• bhaviṣyati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धाातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकारः (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (3rd person singular)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम् (Masculine, Genitive, Singular)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Nominative Singular)

• karalagnaḥ: clinging to the hand (as a pledge)
• karalagnaḥ: Vidheyavisheshana (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kara (प्रातिपदिक) + lagna (प्रातिपदिक) < lag (धाातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Masc. Nom. Sg.); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (kare lagnaḥ = 'attached to the hand')

• asmi: am
• asmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धाातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (1st person singular)

• mat: my
• mat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी एकवचनस्य रूपम् (Genitive singular stem-form 'my'); विशेषणम् (dattam)

• dattam: given (gift)
• dattam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dā (धाातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः; नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (Neut. Nom./Acc. Sg.); (भूमिदानम्)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्ययम् (if)

• pālyate: is protected/maintained
• pālyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pāl (धाातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (Passive, 3rd person singular)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating; voice reflects the donor/issuer of the grant in the charter-tradition (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic clasped-hand motif: Rāma’s hand extended in covenant toward a future king; behind them, a protected field/temple boundary; a guardian figure stands at the border stone.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A ruler’s legitimacy is linked to dharma: safeguarding prior donations sustains auspicious support and continuity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is identified in this verse; it belongs to the land-grant/charter ethic within the chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual; it states a conditional covenant: protection of the donor’s grant is mandatory for continued auspicious alliance/blessing.