Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

अथ लब्धवरा विप्रास्तमूचुर्भृगुसत्तमम् । नास्मद्भूमौ त्वया स्थेयमेको राजा यतः स्मृतः

Transliteration

atha labdhavarā viprāstamūcurbhṛgusattamam | nāsmadbhūmau tvayā stheyameko rājā yataḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

Then the brāhmaṇas, having obtained their boons, spoke to that best of Bhṛgu’s line: “You should not remain upon our land, for it is remembered that there must be only one king.”

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Discourse/temporal marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरवाचक निपात

• लब्धवराः: having obtained boons
• लब्धवराः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लब्ध (कृदन्त) + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषभावः (लब्धः वरः येषाम्)

• विप्राः: brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ऊचुः: said
• ऊचुः: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• भृगुसत्तमम्: O best of the Bhṛgus
• भृगुसत्तमम्: Sambodhana (Addressed person)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृगु + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (सम्बोधनार्थे कर्मवत्), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भृगूणां सत्तमः)

• न: not
• न: Negation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध निपात (negation)

• अस्मत्: our
• अस्मत्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-बहुवचन (सम्बन्ध); ‘our’ अर्थे; (अस्मद्भूमौ इति समासपूर्वपद)

• भूमौ: on the land
• भूमौ: Adhikaraṇa (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karta (Agent in passive/gerundive construction)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/कर्ता), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्थेयम्: should be stayed (you should stay)
• स्थेयम्: Kriyā (Obligation/Prohibition)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (ought to be stayed)

• एकः: one
• एकः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

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

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेतुवाचक (because/since)

• स्मृतः: is remembered/declared
• स्मृतः: Kriyā (Predicative participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas (vipras) speaking to Paraśurāma

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brāhmaṇas, serene yet firm, address Paraśurāma; he stands with lowered gaze, axe now symbolic rather than threatening; the land-gift is complete, and the hero is asked to depart.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas (vipra)
• Bhṛgusattama (Paraśurāma)
• Rājā (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes limits: even a powerful figure must yield to social order and scriptural memory (smṛti), honoring the principle of rightful governance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The exchange occurs within the adhyāya’s tīrtha narrative context connected to Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse articulates a rājadharma norm about singular sovereignty.