Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

ततो युद्धार्थिनं मां ते वारयंति हितैषिणः । कृतोत्साहं मखप्राप्तौ नीतिमार्गसमाश्रिताः

Transliteration

tato yuddhārthinaṃ māṃ te vārayaṃti hitaiṣiṇaḥ | kṛtotsāhaṃ makhaprāptau nītimārgasamāśritāḥ

Translation

Darum halten mich die Wohlgesinnten zurück, wenn ich den Krieg suche. Obgleich ich voller Eifer bin, das Opfer zu erlangen, nehmen sie Zuflucht zum Pfad der klugen Staatskunst und des Rates.

Word by Word

• ततः: therefore/then
• ततः: Avyaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/अतः (therefore/then)

• युद्धार्थिनम्: desiring war
• युद्धार्थिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युद्धार्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक; युद्ध + अर्थिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (माम्)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• वारयन्ति: they restrain, prevent
• वारयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु; वारयति)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• हितैषिणः: well-wishers
• हितैषिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हितैषिन् (प्रातिपदिक; हित + एषिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्तृपद (ते) का विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

• कृतोत्साहम्: having mustered enthusiasm, prepared
• कृतोत्साहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतोत्साह (प्रातिपदिक; कृत + उत्साह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (माम्)

• मखप्राप्तौ: in attaining the sacrifice
• मखप्राप्तौ: Adhikarana (Goal-context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मखप्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक; मख + प्राप्ति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; लक्ष्य/अधिकरण

• नीतिमार्गसमाश्रिताः: having resorted to the path of policy
• नीतिमार्गसमाश्रिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नीतिमार्गसमाश्रित (प्रातिपदिक; नीति + मार्ग + समाश्रित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (ते/हितैषिणः)

Speaker

Harīścandra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ministers gently but firmly restrain the king—one hand raised in counsel, another indicating a scroll of policy; Harīścandra’s eager posture contrasts with their calm, reasoned stance; the deity’s presence sanctifies the debate.

Characters & Entities

• Harīścandra
• Well-wishers (hitaiṣiṇaḥ)
• Policy (nīti)
• War (yuddha)
• Sacrifice (makha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Righteous goals must be pursued through right means; wise counsel and nīti can temper impulsive violence even in kingly duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; the immediate focus is royal decision-making within the larger tīrtha narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it frames the practical challenge of reaching makha (sacrificial completion).