Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

कृपालुः स च रुद्रात्मा रामशासनपालकः । रक्षणार्थं हि विप्राणामतिष्ठच्च धरातले

Transliteration

kṛpāluḥ sa ca rudrātmā rāmaśāsanapālakaḥ | rakṣaṇārthaṃ hi viprāṇāmatiṣṭhacca dharātale

Translation

Plein de compassion et de la nature même de Rudra, lui—gardien de l’ordre de Rāma—demeura sur la terre pour la protection des brāhmaṇas.

Word by Word

• कृपालुः: compassionate
• कृपालुः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृपालु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन; स-विशेषण

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• रुद्रात्मा: one of Rudra-nature; Rudra-souled
• रुद्रात्मा: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (रुद्रस्य आत्मा/स्वभावः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन; स-समनाधिकरण

• रामशासनपालकः: protector of Rama’s command
• रामशासनपालकः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक) + शासन (प्रातिपदिक) + पालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (रामस्य शासनं पालयतीति); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन; स-समनाधिकरण

• रक्षणार्थम्: for protection
• रक्षणार्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षण (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (रक्षणस्य अर्थः = प्रयोजनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (purpose)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• विप्राणाम्: of the Brahmins
• विप्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th); बहुवचन

• अतिष्ठत्: stood; remained
• अतिष्ठत्: Kriya (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• धरातले: on the surface of the earth
• धरातले: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (धरायाः तलम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th); एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; later explicitly Vyāsa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A compassionate yet formidable guardian figure, Rudra-like in aura, standing watch on the earth at the forest’s edge; brāhmaṇas nearby under protection; a subtle emblem of Rāma’s command (bow/insignia) implied.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Rudra
• Rāma
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion expresses itself as obedience to dharma (Rāma’s command) and compassionate protection of the virtuous.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is the sacred stage; its māhātmya is enhanced by depicting Hanumān’s vigilant guardianship there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No rite is prescribed; the verse teaches dharmic service—rakṣaṇa (protection) of Brāhmaṇas.