Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

राज्यं करोमि यद्ब्रह्मन्स्वार्थं तन्न मनागपि । पुत्रैः कलत्रैर्देहेनपरोपकृतये यते

Transliteration

rājyaṃ karomi yadbrahmansvārthaṃ tanna manāgapi | putraiḥ kalatrairdehenaparopakṛtaye yate

Translation

O Brahmane, wenn ich die Königsherrschaft ausübe, so nicht einmal im Geringsten zu meinem eigenen Vorteil. Mit meinen Söhnen, meiner Gemahlin und meinem eigenen Leib mühe ich mich allein um das Wohl der anderen.

Word by Word

• rājyam: kingdom/rule
• rājyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd, Accusative), एकवचन

• karomi: I do/make
• karomi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• yat: because/that
• yat: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोग; हेत्वर्थक/यदर्थे (conjunction: because/that)

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

• sva-artham: one’s own benefit
• sva-artham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘स्वस्य अर्थः’)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक निपात (negation particle)

• manāk: even a little
• manāk: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: manāk (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाणवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: even a little)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अवधानार्थक निपात

• putraiḥ: by/with sons
• putraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd, Instrumental), बहुवचन

• kalatraiḥ: by/with wife/wives
• kalatraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• dehena: by/with the body
• dehena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• para-upakṛtaye: for helping others
• para-upakṛtaye: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + upakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th, Dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘परस्य उपकृतिः’)

• yate: you strive/endeavor
• yate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yat (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

A dharmaśīla king (addressing a Brāhmaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king speaks earnestly to a brāhmaṇa, gesturing toward his family standing behind him—sons and queen—signifying that all are dedicated to public welfare; the setting hints at Kāśī’s sacred precincts.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Rājya
• Putra (sons)
• Kalatra (spouse/family)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kṣatriya-dharma is defined as selfless governance—using family and personal strength for public good.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader frame is Kāśī in the Skanda Purāṇa, where righteous living is magnified by the sacred setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; the verse emphasizes ethical duty (paropakāra) as the essence of rule.