Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 93

Devanagari script

भ्रातृभिः सह राजेंद्र धर्मेषु रमते मनः । दारैः पुत्रैश्च भृत्यैश्च कुशलैर्गजवाजिभिः

Transliteration

bhrātṛbhiḥ saha rājeṃdra dharmeṣu ramate manaḥ | dāraiḥ putraiśca bhṛtyaiśca kuśalairgajavājibhiḥ

Translation

“O lord of kings, does your mind delight in dharma together with your brothers—along with your wives, sons, and attendants, and with your elephants and horses all in good condition?”

Word by Word

• भ्रातृभिः: with brothers
• भ्रातृभिः: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक उपसर्ग/निपात (preposition-like: with)

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—राज्ञां इन्द्रः (king of kings)

• धर्मेषु: in dharmas, in righteous duties
• धर्मेषु: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• रमते: delights, takes pleasure
• रमते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• दारैः: with wives
• दारैः: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• पुत्रैः: with sons
• पुत्रैः: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

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

• भृत्यैः: with servants
• भृत्यैः: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

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

• कुशलैः: healthy, well-trained
• कुशलैः: Sahakaraka (Association qualifier/सह)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुशल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of gajavājibhiḥ)

• गजवाजिभिः: with elephants and horses
• गजवाजिभिः: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज + वाजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः—गजाश्च वाजिनश्च (with elephants and horses)

Speaker

Nārada

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada’s benevolent inquiry expands to the whole royal ecosystem: brothers, wives, sons, attendants, and the health of elephants and horses—signs of stable righteous rule.

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Brothers (Pāṇḍavas implied)
• Household (wives/sons/servants)
• Elephants
• Horses

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Righteous kingship includes moral joy in dharma and the well-being of family, servants, and the resources that sustain the kingdom.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse focuses on the dharmic health of a ruler’s life and realm.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an inquiry establishing the standards of welfare in kṣatriya and household dharma.