Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

स च सर्वान्रणे जित्वा कर्तव्यः पृथिवीपतीन् । अतो विजेतुं भूपालांश्चत्वरोऽपि ससैनिकाः

Transliteration

sa ca sarvānraṇe jitvā kartavyaḥ pṛthivīpatīn | ato vijetuṃ bhūpālāṃścatvaro'pi sasainikāḥ

Translation

»Und dies muss vollbracht werden, indem man alle Könige der Erde im Kampf besiegt. Darum zieht ihr vier—ein jeder mit seinem Heer—aus, um die Herrscher zu unterwerfen.«

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन (Singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् pṛthivīpatīn/भूपालान् प्रति

• raṇe: in battle
• raṇe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (7th case/locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• jitvā: having conquered
• jitvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ji (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having conquered)

• kartavyaḥ: should be made / must be done
• kartavyaḥ: Vidhi/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + tavya (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be done/should be made)

• pṛthivīpatīn: lords of the earth (kings)
• pṛthivīpatīn: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivī + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—पृथिव्याः पतयः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्-अर्थ (therefore)

• vijetuṃ: to conquer
• vijetuṃ: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ji (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive), प्रयोजनार्थ (in order to conquer)

• bhūpālān: kings / rulers
• bhūpālān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū + pāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—भूः पालयति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• catvāraḥ: four (persons)
• catvāraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catvāra (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन (Plural)

• api: also / even
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: also/even)

• sa-sainikāḥ: with their armies
• sa-sainikāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa + sainika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन (Plural); अव्ययीभावः—सैन्येन सह (with troops)

Speaker

Yudhiṣṭhira

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis/assembly (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yudhiṣṭhira issues the final directive: each brother departs with an army toward a quarter; banners, chariots, and disciplined troops assemble at the city gates.

Characters & Entities

• Bhūpālas (kings)
• Armies (senā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

For rulers, protecting and unifying the realm is a dharmic duty that precedes and legitimizes grand ritual acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it supports the narrative arc within Setukhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The practical prerequisite for the Rājasūya is reiterated: conquer/subdue the kings (digvijaya) with organized armies.