Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

राजोवाच । केन कर्मविपाकेन ममैतद्राज्यमुत्तमम् । निष्कण्टकं सदा क्षेमं सर्वकामसमन्वितम्

Transliteration

rājovāca | kena karmavipākena mamaitadrājyamuttamam | niṣkaṇṭakaṃ sadā kṣemaṃ sarvakāmasamanvitam

Translation

The King said: “By what ripening of karma has this excellent kingdom of mine arisen—ever free from thorns (troubles), always secure and auspicious, and endowed with the fulfillment of every worthy desire?”

Word by Word

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• केन: by what?
• केन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• कर्मविपाकेन: by the fruition of karma
• कर्मविपाकेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म + विपाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कर्मणः विपाकः)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject complement/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (राज्यम्)

• राज्यम्: kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Karta (Subject complement/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (राज्यम्)

• निष्कण्टकम्: free of thorns/obstacles
• निष्कण्टकम्: Karta (Subject complement/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः + कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (राज्यम्); कर्मधारय (कण्टक-रहित)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Avyaya (Adverb/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• क्षेमम्: secure/prosperous
• क्षेमम्: Karta (Subject complement/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षेम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (राज्यम्)

• सर्वकामसमन्वितम्: endowed with all desires (fulfilled)
• सर्वकामसमन्वितम्: Karta (Subject complement/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + काम + समन्वित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √इ/वृ? 'सम्-अन्वि' as adjective stem समन्वित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (राज्यम्); तत्पुरुष (सर्वैः कामैः समन्वितम्)

Speaker

Rājā (the King)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vasiṣṭha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, crowned and radiant, questions Vasiṣṭha with earnest wonder; behind him, an ideal cityscape—orderly streets, flourishing fields—symbolizing ‘niṣkaṇṭaka’ rule.

Characters & Entities

• Rājā (King)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly stability and success are portrayed as the maturation of prior deeds (karma-vipāka), encouraging ethical living and meritorious acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse sets up the inquiry within Arbuda-khaṇḍa (Mt. Arbuda region) but does not yet name a specific tīrtha in the line itself.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the king is asking about the causes—charity, vows, sacrifice, austerity—leading to such prosperity.