Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

वयं हि भवता नित्यं पुत्रवत्परिपालिताः । त्वां विना न प्रवेक्ष्याम पुरीं देवपुरोपमाम्

Transliteration

vayaṃ hi bhavatā nityaṃ putravatparipālitāḥ | tvāṃ vinā na pravekṣyāma purīṃ devapuropamām

Translation

„Wahrlich, du hast uns stets behütet, als wären wir deine eigenen Söhne. Ohne dich werden wir jene Stadt, die einer Götterstadt gleicht, nicht betreten.“

Word by Word

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचनम् (Nominative plural)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• भवता: by you
• भवता: Karana (Agent/instrument in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसकलिङ्ग-एकवचनम् (adverbial accusative)

• पुत्रवत्: like (your) sons
• पुत्रवत्: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुत्र + वत् (तद्धित; अव्ययवत्)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (like/as)

• परिपालिताः: protected/cared for
• परिपालिताः: Karta (of implied passive/subject complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + पालित (√पाल् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचनम् (Accusative singular)

• विना: without
• विना: Apadana (Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादानार्थक-अव्यय (preposition: without)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• प्रवेक्ष्यामः: we shall enter
• प्रवेक्ष्यामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √विश् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्काल/Future); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• पुरीम्: the city
• पुरीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचनम् (Accusative singular)

• देवपुरोपमाम्: resembling a divine city
• देवपुरोपमाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देवपुर + उपमा (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचनम्; उपमा-सम्बन्ध (like a city of gods)

Speaker

Ministers (addressing King Śaṅkara/Pāṇḍyanātha)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ministers address the king with folded hands, declaring he protected them like sons; behind them a radiant cityscape is imagined as devapurī, yet they refuse to enter without him.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Pāṇḍya king)
• ministers
• city (purī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Leadership grounded in care creates dhārmic loyalty; subjects respond with steadfast devotion and solidarity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Setu sacred setting (Setukhaṇḍa), associated with pilgrimage to Setu/Setubandha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse expresses a vow-like resolve of the ministers rather than a formal ritual.