Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

तस्य पुत्रः समभवद्धर्मगुप्त इति श्रुतः । राज्य रक्षाधुरं नंदो निजपुत्रे निधाय सः

Transliteration

tasya putraḥ samabhavaddharmagupta iti śrutaḥ | rājya rakṣādhuraṃ naṃdo nijaputre nidhāya saḥ

Translation

Il eut un fils, renommé sous le nom de Dharmagupta. Nanda remit à son propre fils le fardeau de garder le royaume.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him (Nanda)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• समभवत्: was born/became
• समभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; उपसर्गः—सम्

• धर्मगुप्तः: Dharmagupta
• धर्मगुप्तः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + गुप्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—धर्मेण गुप्तः / धर्मस्य गुप्तः (तत्पुरुष; नाम)

• इति: thus, named
• इति: Quotation marker (इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• श्रुतः: known/heard (as)
• श्रुतः: Predicate adjective (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• राज्यरक्षाधुरम्: the responsibility of protecting the kingdom
• राज्यरक्षाधुरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य + रक्षा + धुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—राज्यस्य रक्षा-धुरम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; ‘burden of protecting the kingdom’)

• नन्दः: Nanda
• नन्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• निजपुत्रे: in/unto his own son
• निजपुत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—निजः पुत्रः (कर्मधारय)

• निधाय: having entrusted/placed
• निधाय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; उपसर्गः—नि

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

Speaker

Sūta (narrator)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya-vāsinaḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solemn transfer of royal insignia: King Nanda entrusts the crown/scepter to Prince Dharmagupta; ministers and priests witness, fire altar in background to sanctify the act.

Characters & Entities

• Nanda
• Dharmagupta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Authority is a trust; dharma is transmitted through responsibility and rightful succession.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named in this verse; it supports the Dhanuṣkoṭi-centered narrative of the chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it highlights the ethical duty of protecting the realm.