Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

छंद्यमानोऽपि विविधैर्हस्त्यश्वरथपूर्वकैः । अवज्ञाय महीपालं प्रस्थितः स्वपुरं प्रति

Transliteration

chaṃdyamāno'pi vividhairhastyaśvarathapūrvakaiḥ | avajñāya mahīpālaṃ prasthitaḥ svapuraṃ prati

Translation

Obwohl man ihn mit mancherlei Gaben — Elefanten, Pferden und Wagen — zu besänftigen suchte, missachtete er den König und brach in seine eigene Stadt auf.

Word by Word

• छन्द्यमानः: being entreated/solicited
• छन्द्यमानः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √छन्द् (धातु) → छन्द्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्/मान), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे ‘प्रार्थ्यमानः/याच्यमानः’ इत्यर्थे

• अपि: even though
• अपि: Sambandha (Concession/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवाद/अन्वर्थक अव्यय (concessive particle)

• विविधैः: with various
• विविधैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• हस्त्यश्वरथपूर्वकैः: with (gifts/means) preceded by elephants, horses, and chariots
• हस्त्यश्वरथपूर्वकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हस्ति + अश्व + रथ + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—हस्ति-अश्व-रथैः पूर्वकैः (उपपद-तत्पुरुष/बहुपद-समास), ‘हस्त्यादिभिः सहितैः’

• अवज्ञाय: having disregarded
• अवज्ञाय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अव + √ज्ञा (धातु) → अवज्ञाय (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• महीपालम्: the king
• महीपालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—मही + पाल (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-सम्भव), ‘भूमेः पालकः’

• प्रस्थितः: departed, set out
• प्रस्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √स्था (धातु) → प्रस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगे ‘गच्छन्/प्रयातः’

• स्वपुरम्: his own city
• स्वपुरम्: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—स्वस्य पुरम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Dik-Adhikarana (Directional adjunct/दिक्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: दिशा/प्रत्यर्थक अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator, implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A procession of lavish gifts stands ready—elephants caparisoned, horses bridled, chariots gleaming—yet the principled figure turns away, leaving the court behind.

Characters & Entities

• Daśārṇādhipati (implied)
• Mahīpāla (a king, addressed/mentioned generically)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It underlines that material inducements cannot override a resolved decision framed as dharma, emphasizing restraint over royal wealth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha name appears in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates an attempted appeasement through royal gifts.