Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

परःशता मया दृष्टा राजानो भूरिदक्षिणाः । विजितानेकसंग्रामा यायजूका जितेंद्रियाः

Transliteration

paraḥśatā mayā dṛṣṭā rājāno bhūridakṣiṇāḥ | vijitānekasaṃgrāmā yāyajūkā jiteṃdriyāḥ

Translation

I have seen more than a hundred kings—lavish in gifts (dakṣiṇā), victorious in many battles, devoted to performing yajñas, and masters of their senses.

Word by Word

• परःशताः: more than a hundred
• परःशताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (परः = अधिकः + शताः = hundreds)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग-प्रयोग्य (pronoun), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• दृष्टाः: seen
• दृष्टाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे ‘seen’

• राजानः: kings
• राजानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• भूरिदक्षिणाः: giving abundant gifts
• भूरिदक्षिणाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूरि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (भूरि = abundant + दक्षिणाः = gifts/fees)

• विजितानेकसंग्रामाः: having conquered many battles
• विजितानेकसंग्रामाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विजित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त; √जि) + अनेक (प्रातिपदिक) + संग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (अनेकसंग्रामान् विजिताः)

• यायजूकाḥ: sacrificers (performers of sacrifices)
• यायजूकाḥ: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यायजूक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘यज्ञकर्ता/यजमान’ अर्थे

• जितेन्द्रियाः: having conquered the senses
• जितेन्द्रियाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त; √जि) + इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (इन्द्रियाणि जिताः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājārṣi (addressed as ‘tava’, ‘rājārṣe’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A courtly narrator recalls having seen many kings: rows of crowned rulers, sacrificial fires blazing, heaps of gifts, banners of victory—yet the scene subtly framed by Kāśī’s sacred skyline as the higher standard.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly power is praised only when joined to dharma—generosity, sacrificial duty, and mastery over the senses.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī context frames the dialogue, though this verse itself focuses on royal virtues rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Yajña is referenced, along with dakṣiṇā (the giving of gifts/fees associated with sacrificial rites).