Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

राज्याद्भ्रष्टो निरालंबो मया पुत्रेण चान्वितः । वनं विवेश ब्रह्मर्षे क्रूरसत्त्वभयानकम्

Transliteration

rājyādbhraṣṭo nirālaṃbo mayā putreṇa cānvitaḥ | vanaṃ viveśa brahmarṣe krūrasattvabhayānakam

Translation

Ô Brahmarṣi, déchu de son royaume et privé de tout appui, le roi—accompagné de moi et de son fils—entra dans une forêt effrayante, hantée par des êtres féroces et cruels.

Word by Word

• राज्यात्: from the kingdom
• राज्यात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• भ्रष्टः: fallen, deprived
• भ्रष्टः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रंश् (धातु) → भ्रष्ट (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतभावे (past participle)

• निरालम्बः: without support
• निरालम्बः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + आलम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Sahakari/Karana (Instrument/साधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• पुत्रेण: with (my) son
• पुत्रेण: Sahakari (Associate/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अन्वितः: accompanied
• अन्वितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु + इ (धातु) → अन्वित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• वनम्: the forest
• वनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• विवेश: entered
• विवेश: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ब्रह्मर्षे: O brahmarṣi
• ब्रह्मर्षे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• क्रूरसत्त्वभयानकम्: terrifying due to fierce creatures
• क्रूरसत्त्वभयानकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रूर + सत्त्व + भयानक (प्रातिपदिक); घटकाः: क्रूर(विशेषण) + सत्त्व(नाम) + भयानक(विशेषण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (वनम् इति विशेष्य)

Speaker

Narrator (within Setukhaṇḍa; likely Sūta-style narration in the Brāhma Khaṇḍa context)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmarṣi (addressed as ‘brahmarṣe’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dethroned king, accompanied by a woman narrator and his young son, steps into a dark forest; twisted trees, shadowy beasts, and a narrow path emphasize vulnerability and resolve.

Characters & Entities

• Manojava (king)
• son of the king
• Brahmarṣi (addressed sage)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly sovereignty is unstable; dharma is tested when one loses power and must face fear without external support.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is part of the Setukhaṇḍa narrative setting; the immediate line focuses on exile, while the broader section relates to Setu (Rāmeśvaram/Setubandha) sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it sets the narrative context of hardship leading toward later spiritual intervention.