Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

आसीत्पुरा रघुपतिरिक्ष्वाकुकुलवर्द्धनः । रघुर्निजभुजोदारवीर्यशासितभूतलः

Transliteration

āsītpurā raghupatirikṣvākukulavarddhanaḥ | raghurnijabhujodāravīryaśāsitabhūtalaḥ

Translation

In ancient times there was Raghu, lord of the Raghu line, increaser of the Ikṣvāku dynasty, who ruled the earth by the noble strength of his own arms.

Word by Word

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• पुरा: formerly, once
• पुरा: Kala-adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• रघुपतिः: lord of the Raghu line
• रघुपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रघु + पति (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रघोः पतिः)

• इक्ष्वाकुकुलवर्द्धनः: increaser of the Ikṣvāku dynasty
• इक्ष्वाकुकुलवर्द्धनः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इक्ष्वाकु + कुल + वर्द्धन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (इक्ष्वाकुकुलस्य वर्द्धनः)

• रघुः: Raghu (Rāma)
• रघुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रघु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• निजभुजोदारवीर्यशासितभूतलः: whose earth was ruled by his own mighty arms’ noble valor
• निजभुजोदारवीर्यशासितभूतलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज + भुज + उदार + वीर्य + शासित + भूतल (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; 'निजभुजोदारवीर्येण शासितं भूतलं यस्य' इति कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समुच्चयार्थः; विशेषण (qualifying रघुः)

Speaker

Agastya (narration continues)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā (Raghuvaṃśa-smṛti locus)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vyāsa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Raghu is depicted as a radiant king, bow in hand, standing before Ayodhyā’s palace gates; the earth personified (Bhū-devī) appears protected under his rule; banners and disciplined troops suggest righteous sovereignty rather than conquest for greed.

Characters & Entities

• Raghu
• Ikṣvāku dynasty

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharmic kingship—strength disciplined by righteousness—supports the world and sanctifies a dynasty’s fame.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā’s royal-sacred milieu is implied through the Ikṣvāku–Raghu lineage central to the city’s māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it establishes the historical-legendary protagonist (Raghu) for the forthcoming tīrtha account.