Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 130

Devanagari script

इत्येवं राज्यसंभोगैः कुतः सौख्यं विचारतः । नृपाणां व्यग्रचित्तानामन्योन्यविजिगीषया

Transliteration

ityevaṃ rājyasaṃbhogaiḥ kutaḥ saukhyaṃ vicārataḥ | nṛpāṇāṃ vyagracittānāmanyonyavijigīṣayā

Translation

So fragt man, wenn man es bedenkt: Wo ist Glück in den Genüssen der Königsherrschaft? Denn der Geist der Könige ist stets unruhig vom Verlangen, einander zu besiegen.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Discourse marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (thus)

• एवम्: in this manner
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (in this way)

• राज्यसंभोगैः: by enjoyments of kingship
• राज्यसंभोगैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य-संभोग (प्रातिपदिक; राज्य + संभोग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; साधन/हेतु (by/with)

• कुतः: how? from where (could it be)
• कुतः: Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतः (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (whence?/how?)

• सौख्यम्: happiness
• सौख्यम्: Karma/Predicate (object of implied ‘to obtain’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विचारतः: upon reflection; considering
• विचारतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि-चर् (धातु) + शतृ/तस् (कृदन्त-अव्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त-अव्यय (gerundial adverb) ‘considering/reflecting’; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (as an adverbial form)

• नृपाणाम्: of kings
• नृपाणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• व्यग्रचित्तानाम्: of those whose minds are agitated
• व्यग्रचित्तानाम्: Visheshana (of नृपाणाम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यग्र-चित्त (प्रातिपदिक; व्यग्र + चित्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of नृपाणाम्)

• अन्योन्यविजिगीषया: by mutual desire to conquer
• अन्योन्यविजिगीषया: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्योन्य-विजिगीषा (प्रातिपदिक; अन्योन्य + विजिगीषा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेतौ/साधन (due to/with)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two neighboring kings with armies poised, yet the central figure turns away from the battlefield toward a temple path; the contrast shows agitation versus peace.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power breeds restlessness and rivalry; true sukha arises from inner dharma, not external dominion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the verse is a general teaching on statecraft and detachment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is philosophical and ethical rather than ritual.