Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

प्रियं ब्रूयादकृपणः शूरः स्यादविकत्थनः । दाता चाऽयामवर्जः स्यात्प्रगल्भः स्यादनिष्ठुरः

Transliteration

priyaṃ brūyādakṛpaṇaḥ śūraḥ syādavikatthanaḥ | dātā cā'yāmavarjaḥ syātpragalbhaḥ syādaniṣṭhuraḥ

Translation

Er spreche freundliche Worte und sei nicht geizig. Er sei tapfer, doch ohne Prahlerei; ein Geber, der die Mühe nicht scheut. Er sei selbstgewiss, aber niemals grausam.

Word by Word

• priyam: pleasant/sweet (speech)
• priyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; adjective-noun use (विशेष्यरूपेण)

• brūyāt: should speak
• brūyāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/बिधि), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• akṛpaṇaḥ: not miserly, generous
• akṛpaṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- + kṛpaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्ययार्थ (negation)

• śūraḥ: brave
• śūraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• syāt: should be
• syāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• avikatthanaḥ: not boastful
• avikatthanaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- + vikatthana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्ययार्थ

• dātā: a giver, donor
• dātā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक (agent noun)

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

• ayāmavarjaḥ: not avoiding proper times/periods (i.e., not neglectful of time)
• ayāmavarjaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- + yāma + varja (प्रातिपदिक); components: yāma (याम) + varja (वर्ज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुष (yāma-varja = avoiding yāma), नञ्-प्रत्ययार्थ

• syāt: should be
• syāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• pragalbhaḥ: bold, confident
• pragalbhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pragalbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• syāt: should be
• syāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• aniṣṭhuraḥ: not harsh, gentle
• aniṣṭhuraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- + niṣṭhura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्ययार्थ

Speaker

Nārada

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra (within Prabhāsa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bali

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king addresses subjects with gentle words, distributes gifts, stands ready in armor without pride, works alongside officials, and restrains anger while judging disputes.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• King (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A ruler’s strength must be tempered by humility, generosity, gentle speech, and non-cruelty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader glorification is of Vastrāpatha-kṣetra in Prabhāsa; this verse contributes by defining dharmic rulership in that sacred narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna (giving) is praised as a royal virtue, though no specific rite is detailed.