Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

महीपतिरिमं यज्ञं कर्तुमर्हति नेतरः । दिशो दश विजेतव्या प्रथमं वलिना त्वया

Transliteration

mahīpatirimaṃ yajñaṃ kartumarhati netaraḥ | diśo daśa vijetavyā prathamaṃ valinā tvayā

Translation

„Nur ein wahrer Herrscher der Erde ist würdig, dieses Opfer zu vollziehen — kein anderer. Darum musst du zuerst durch deine Kraft die zehn Himmelsrichtungen bezwingen.“

Word by Word

• mahīpatiḥ: the lord of the earth (sovereign king)
• mahīpatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (mahīyāḥ patiḥ)

• imam: this
• imam: Viśeṣaṇa (Demonstrative/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• yajñam: sacrifice
• yajñam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• kartum: to perform
• kartum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-रूप (infinitive), कर्तुम् = to do

• arhati: is fit/entitled
• arhati: Karma-pravartaka (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √arh (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• itaraḥ: another (person)
• itaraḥ: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: itara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; na + itaraḥ = 'no one else'

• diśaḥ: directions/quarters
• diśaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: diś (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Saṅkhyā-viśeṣaṇa (Numeral qualifier/संख्या-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-शब्दः; द्वितीया-बहुवचनार्थे (qualifying diśaḥ)

• vijetavyāḥ: to be conquered
• vijetavyāḥ: Karma (Object to be acted upon/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√ji (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/future passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (diśaḥ)

• prathamam: first
• prathamam: Krama-adhikaraṇa (Order adjunct/क्रमाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prathama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of order: firstly)

• valinā: by the strong (one)
• valinā: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: valin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषणार्थे (tvayā-विशेषण: 'by you, the strong one')

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Kṛṣṇa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kṛṣṇa points outward as if indicating the compass; a symbolic mandala of ten directions surrounds the king; emissaries and generals stand ready for digvijaya.

Characters & Entities

• Rājasūya
• Ten directions (daśa diśaḥ)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Authority in dharma is not claimed but established—one must become truly capable and responsible before undertaking exalted rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; the emphasis is on rājadhrama within Setukhaṇḍa’s narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A clear prerequisite is given: perform digvijaya (conquest/bringing kings under rule) before commencing the Rājasūya.