Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

कान्यकुब्जे महाक्षेत्रे राजा भोजेति विश्रुतः । पुरा पुण्ययुगे धर्म्यः प्रजा धर्मेण शासति

Transliteration

kānyakubje mahākṣetre rājā bhojeti viśrutaḥ | purā puṇyayuge dharmyaḥ prajā dharmeṇa śāsati

Translation

Im großen heiligen Gebiet von Kānyakubja gab es einen König, berühmt als Bhoja. In alten Zeiten, in jenem glückverheißenden Zeitalter, regierte dieser rechtschaffene Herrscher seine Untertanen gemäß dem Dharma.

Word by Word

• कान्यकुब्जे: in Kānyakubja (Kannauj)
• कान्यकुब्जे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कान्यकुब्ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative of place)

• महाक्षेत्रे: in the great sacred region
• महाक्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाक्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: महत् + क्षेत्र; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• राजा: a king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृपद

• भोज: Bhoja (name)
• भोज: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘इति’पूर्वकं नामनिर्देश (name in apposition)

• इति: thus, called
• इति: Sambandha (Marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/नामनिर्देशक (quotative particle)

• विश्रुतः: renowned
• विश्रुतः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-श्रु (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘राजा’विशेषण

• पुरा: formerly, once
• पुरा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• पुण्ययुगे: in the auspicious age
• पुण्ययुगे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्ययुग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: पुण्यस्य युगम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• धर्म्यः: righteous, virtuous
• धर्म्यः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘राजा’विशेषण

• प्रजाः: the subjects, people
• प्रजाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; कर्मपद

• धर्मेण: by/with dharma (righteousness)
• धर्मेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrument)

• शासति: rules, governs
• शासति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शास् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Śiva (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kānyakubja mahākṣetra (as narrative setting)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Varānanā (Devī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A flashback begins: in the great sacred region of Kānyakubja, King Bhoja—righteous and famed—rules his people according to dharma in an auspicious former age.

Characters & Entities

• Kānyakubja
• King Bhoja

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The foundation for receiving tīrtha-merit is dharmic living—rulers and communities prosper when governance aligns with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha is being introduced indirectly; this verse sets the historical frame in Kānyakubja before the Vastrāpatha-kṣetra episode unfolds.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it emphasizes rājadharma (ethical rule) rather than a specific rite.