Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । आनर्त्ताधिपतिः पूर्वमासीन्नाम्ना प्रभंजनः । धर्मज्ञः सुप्रतापी च परपक्षक्षयावहः

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | ānarttādhipatiḥ pūrvamāsīnnāmnā prabhaṃjanaḥ | dharmajñaḥ supratāpī ca parapakṣakṣayāvahaḥ

Translation

Sūta sprach: Einst gab es einen Herrscher von Ānarta namens Prabhañjana—kundig in Dharma, von überragender Tapferkeit und Glanz, und Verderben bringend den feindlichen Parteien.

Word by Word

• sūtaḥ: Sūta
• sūtaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• ānartta-adhipatiḥ: the ruler of Ānarta
• ānartta-adhipatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ānartta + adhipati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• pūrvam: formerly
• pūrvam: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrvam (अव्यय/नपुंसक-रूप)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time: formerly)

• āsīt: was
• āsīt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• nāmnā: by name
• nāmnā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• prabhaṃjanaḥ: Prabhañjana
• prabhaṃjanaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhaṃjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• dharma-jñaḥ: knower of dharma
• dharma-jñaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• su-pratāpī: very mighty
• su-pratāpī: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su + pratāpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक

• para-pakṣa-kṣaya-āvahaḥ: bringing destruction to the enemy side
• para-pakṣa-kṣaya-āvahaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para + pakṣa + kṣaya + āvaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ānarta (regional kṣetra context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Introduction portrait of King Prabhañjana: armored yet composed, holding a sword lowered in restraint, with dharma-symbols (śāstra, scales, or a temple in backdrop) indicating both valor and righteousness.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Prabhañjana
• Ānarta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ideal kingship unites power with dharma—protecting society while restraining chaos and hostile forces.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces a historical figure connected to the broader tīrthamāhātmya storyline; it does not itself praise a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is narrative setup describing the king’s qualities.