Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

राजोवाच । अस्ति कश्चिदुपायोऽत्र दैवो वा मानुषोऽपि वा । येन संजायते क्षेमं पुत्रस्य विषयस्य च

Transliteration

rājovāca | asti kaścidupāyo'tra daivo vā mānuṣo'pi vā | yena saṃjāyate kṣemaṃ putrasya viṣayasya ca

Translation

The king said: Is there any remedy here—whether divine or human—by which safety and well-being may arise for my son and for my realm?

Word by Word

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• अस्ति: is there
• अस्ति: Kriya (Existence/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• कश्चित्: some
• कश्चित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित्
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun: some)

• उपायः: means, remedy
• उपायः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता-सम्बन्धी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb: here)

• दैवः: divine
• दैवः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of upāya)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle: or)

• मानुषः: human
• मानुषः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of upāya)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• संजायते: arises, comes about
• संजायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• क्षेमम्: welfare, safety
• क्षेमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुत्रस्य: of (my) son
• पुत्रस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• विषयस्य: of the realm
• विषयस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

Speaker

Rājā (the King)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas/daivajñas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king rises from his throne with folded hands, addressing the brāhmaṇas/astrologers, asking for an upāya that protects both prince and kingdom.

Characters & Entities

• rājā (king)
• putra (son)
• viṣaya (realm)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma encourages seeking wise counsel and lawful remedies—both spiritual and practical—for protecting family and society.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as a narrative lead-in within the Tīrthamāhātmya context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse asks for an upāya (remedy) but does not yet prescribe a rite; later verses point to śāntika (pacificatory ritual).