Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

शक्रो हि याज्ञिको विप्रा अश्वमेधशतेन वै । प्राप्तराज्योऽमरावत्यां केवलं भोगलोलुपः

Transliteration

śakro hi yājñiko viprā aśvamedhaśatena vai | prāptarājyo'marāvatyāṃ kevalaṃ bhogalolupaḥ

Translation

O ihr Brāhmaṇas! Śakra (Indra) war wahrlich ein Opfernder; durch hundert Aśvamedhas erlangte er die Königsherrschaft in Amarāvatī—doch war er nur gierig nach Genuss.

Word by Word

• शक्रः: Śakra (Indra)
• शक्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (indeed)

• याज्ञिकः: sacrificial priest; one engaged in sacrifice
• याज्ञिकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याज्ञिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• विप्राः: Brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• अश्वमेधशतेन: by a hundred Aśvamedha sacrifices
• अश्वमेधशतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वमेध + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समास: अश्वमेधानां शतेन

• वै: indeed, surely
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (emphatic)

• प्राप्तराज्यः: having obtained kingship
• प्राप्तराज्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राप्त (प्र + आप् धातु; क्त-कृदन्त) + राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समास: प्राप्तं राज्यं यस्य (कर्मधारय/बहुव्रीहि-भावार्थे), प्रयोगे विशेषणरूपेण

• अमरावत्याम्: in Amarāvatī
• अमरावत्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमरावती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• केवलम्: only, merely
• केवलम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative): 'only/merely'

• भोगलोलुपः: greedy for pleasures
• भोगलोलुपः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भोग + लोलुप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समास: भोगेषु लोलुपः

Speaker

Lomaśa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇas (vipra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Lomaśa narrates Indra’s achievement of Amarāvatī through grand sacrifices, yet depicts Indra’s lingering greed; juxtapose celestial splendor with a subtle moral shadow.

Characters & Entities

• Śakra (Indra)
• Amarāvatī
• Aśvamedha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual success without inner restraint can end in attachment; dharma requires sacrifice to mature into selflessness, not indulgence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Amarāvatī is mentioned as Indra’s seat; the verse is not a tīrtha-glorification but a moral contrast within Kedāra-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Aśvamedha (horse sacrifice) is referenced as a royal rite, here noted in the context of attaining sovereignty.