Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

स्वधर्मनिरतश्चैव युद्धातिथ्यप्रियः सदा । क्षत्रधर्मं समाश्रित्य भोगान्भुङ्क्ते स कामतः

Transliteration

svadharmanirataścaiva yuddhātithyapriyaḥ sadā | kṣatradharmaṃ samāśritya bhogānbhuṅkte sa kāmataḥ

Translation

Steadfast in his own duty, and ever fond of battle and hospitality, he—taking refuge in the dharma of a kṣatriya—enjoyed rightful pleasures according to his desire.

Word by Word

• स्वधर्मनिरतः: devoted to his own duty
• स्वधर्मनिरतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वधर्मनिरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—स्वधर्म + निरत (सप्तमी/तत्पुरुष-प्राय: devoted to one’s own duty)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• युद्धातिथ्यप्रियः: fond of war and hospitality
• युद्धातिथ्यप्रियः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युद्धातिथ्यप्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—युद्ध + आतिथ्य + प्रिय (तत्पुरुष-प्राय: fond of battle and hospitality)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• क्षत्रधर्मम्: the duty of a kṣatriya
• क्षत्रधर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—क्षत्र + धर्म (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• समाश्रित्य: having resorted to
• समाश्रित्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund)

• भोगान्: enjoyments
• भोगान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भुङ्क्ते: enjoys
• भुङ्क्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कामतः: as he wishes
• कामतः: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कामतस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय (adverb: according to desire/at will)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator, unspecified in snippet)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Uttānapāda

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Citrasena is shown as a disciplined kṣatriya: training for battle, welcoming guests with honor, and enjoying royal pleasures within dharmic bounds.

Characters & Entities

• Svadharma
• Kṣatradharma
• Ātithya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pleasure becomes legitimate when grounded in svadharma; dharma is the purifier of power and enjoyment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None directly; the verse develops character context within the Revā Khaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual; the dharmic practice highlighted is ātithya (honoring guests).