Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

राजा हि यत्नतो रक्ष्यो यत्प्रसादादिदं जगत् । सन्मार्गे वर्तते सर्वं न चामार्गे प्रवर्तते

Transliteration

rājā hi yatnato rakṣyo yatprasādādidaṃ jagat | sanmārge vartate sarvaṃ na cāmārge pravartate

Translation

Denn der König muss mit größter Anstrengung geschützt werden; durch seine Gunst wird diese Welt getragen. Durch ihn wandelt alles auf dem rechten Weg und nicht auf dem Irrweg.

Word by Word

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक-निपात (indeed/for)

• यत्नतः: with effort
• यत्नतः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb); प्रकारार्थ (with effort)

• रक्ष्यः: to be protected
• रक्ष्यः: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्ष्य (कृदन्त; √रक्ष् (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: भाव्य/कर्तव्य अर्थे यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय

• यत्: because/for which
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative connector)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• प्रसादात्: from (his) favor/grace
• प्रसादात्: Apadana (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 'जगत्' इत्यस्य विशेषण

• जगत्: world
• जगत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सन्मार्गे: on the right path
• सन्मार्गे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (सन् मार्गः); पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• वर्तते: moves/abides
• वर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समष्टिवाचक

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (and)

• अमार्गे: on the wrong path
• अमार्गे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (अः मार्गः = कुम्गति/दुर्मार्गः); पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• प्रवर्तते: proceeds/engages
• प्रवर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Vasiṣṭha (contextually continuing the instruction to Nandinī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vasiṣṭha articulates a calm doctrine amid turmoil: the king as the axis of worldly order; imagery can show the king protected under a canopy of dharma while chaos recedes.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Nandinī
• King (rājā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rājadharma: the ruler’s protection and stability uphold societal righteousness; governance is framed as a moral instrument supporting dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it provides a dharmic rationale within the māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse teaches governance ethics rather than ritual practice.