Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

वेदपाठो विप्रभक्तिरेषां शस्त्रेण जीवनम् । स्त्रीबालगोब्राह्मणार्थे भूम्यर्थे स्वामिसंकटे

Transliteration

vedapāṭho viprabhaktireṣāṃ śastreṇa jīvanam | strībālagobrāhmaṇārthe bhūmyarthe svāmisaṃkaṭe

Translation

Für sie (die Kṣatriya) sind Vedarezitation und Hingabe an die Brāhmaṇas geboten; ihr Lebensunterhalt ist durch die Waffe—eingesetzt zum Schutz von Frauen, Kindern, Kühen und Brāhmaṇas, zur Bewahrung des Landes und in Zeiten, da ihr Herr in Gefahr ist.

Word by Word

• वेद-पाठः: Veda-recitation
• वेद-पाठः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + पाठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• विप्र-भक्तिः: devotion to brāhmaṇas
• विप्र-भक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: विप्रस्य भक्तिः

• एषाम्: of these (people)
• एषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• शस्त्रेण: by means of weapons
• शस्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• जीवनम्: livelihood, living
• जीवनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्त्री-बाल-गो-ब्राह्मण-अर्थे: for the sake of women, children, cows, and brāhmaṇas
• स्त्री-बाल-गो-ब्राह्मण-अर्थे: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + बाल (प्रातिपदिक) + गो (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; समास: (स्त्रीबालगोब्राह्मणानाम्) अर्थे = 'for the sake of ...'

• भूमि-अर्थे: for the sake of land
• भूमि-अर्थे: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: भूमेः अर्थे

• स्वामि-संकटे: in the lord’s peril/crisis
• स्वामि-संकटे: Adhikarana (Occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामिन् (प्रातिपदिक) + संकट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: स्वामिनः संकटे

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A kṣatriya stands vigilant with bow/sword, while a brāhmaṇa recites Veda; nearby are a cow with calf, a mother with child, and villagers; the king’s posture shows restraint and guardianship rather than aggression.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power is dharmic only when used as protection—especially of the vulnerable and the sacred—and guided by reverence for Vedic and brāhmaṇic wisdom.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named in this verse; it sets the conduct expected of rulers within a tīrtha-māhātmya narrative world.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It recommends Veda recitation and vipra-bhakti (service/reverence to brāhmaṇas) as ongoing duties.