Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 178

Devanagari script

भगवानुवाच । त्वं हि राजा त्रिलोकेशो नान्यो भवितुमर्हसि । स्वकुलं न्यूनतां गच्छेद्यो वै कापुरुषः स्मृतः

Transliteration

bhagavānuvāca | tvaṃ hi rājā trilokeśo nānyo bhavitumarhasi | svakulaṃ nyūnatāṃ gacchedyo vai kāpuruṣaḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

Der erhabene Herr sprach: „Du bist wahrlich der König, der Herr der drei Welten; kein anderer ist dessen würdig. Doch wer als Feigling in Erinnerung bleibt, lässt sein eigenes Geschlecht verfallen.“

Word by Word

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक-निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• rājā: king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tri-loka-īśaḥ: lord of the three worlds
• tri-loka-īśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (त्रिलोकानाम् ईशः)

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

• anyaḥ: another (one)
• anyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• bhavitum: to be/become
• bhavitum: Purpose/Complement (पूरक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (Infinitive)

• arhasi: you deserve/are fit
• arhasi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• sva-kulam: one's own lineage
• sva-kulam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + kula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (स्वं कुलम्)

• nyūnatām: inferiority; diminution
• nyūnatām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nyūnatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• gacchet: would go/should go
• gacchet: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम), प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-निपात

• kā-puruṣaḥ: a coward; base man
• kā-puruṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kā (प्रातिपदिक) + puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (कापुरुषः = कुत्सितः पुरुषः/mean fellow)

• smṛtaḥ: is called/considered
• smṛtaḥ: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (is considered)

Speaker

Bhagavān (Vāmana/Śrī Hari)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vāmana speaks with authority, praising the king’s sovereignty while warning against cowardice that ruins lineage; the listener stands attentive, chastened yet honored.

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavān (Vāmana/Śrī Hari)
• Bali
• Three worlds (triloka)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Leadership must be grounded in courage and integrity; cowardice diminishes both personal honor and the dignity of one’s lineage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

While the verse is ethical instruction, it occurs within Kedārakhaṇḍa’s Kedāra setting, where dharma-teachings are embedded in sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual instruction is given; it is a dharma-focused admonition regarding valor and reputation.