Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

मेदिनीं पालया मास धर्मज्ञो नीतितत्परः । ईजे बहुविधैर्यज्ञैर्देवानिंद्रपुरोगमान्

Transliteration

medinīṃ pālayā māsa dharmajño nītitatparaḥ | īje bahuvidhairyajñairdevāniṃdrapurogamān

Translation

Il protégea la terre, connaissant le dharma et voué à une gouvernance sage. Il adora les dieux, Indra à leur tête, par des yajña de maintes sortes.

Word by Word

• मेदिनीम्: the earth
• मेदिनीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेदिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• पालयामास: ruled/protected
• पालयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रयोगः

• धर्मज्ञः: knower of dharma
• धर्मज्ञः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—धर्मं जानाति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

• नीतितत्परः: devoted to good policy/conduct
• नीतितत्परः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नीति + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—नीतौ तत्परः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• ईजे: performed worship/sacrificed
• ईजे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• बहुविधैः: with many kinds of
• बहुविधैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—बहवः विधाः (कर्मधारय)

• यज्ञैः: by sacrifices
• यज्ञैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• इन्द्रपुरोगमान्: with Indra at their head
• इन्द्रपुरोगमान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इन्द्र + पुरोगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समासः—इन्द्रः पुरोगमः येषाम् (तत्पुरुष; ‘having Indra in the forefront’)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya-vāsinaḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: King Dharmagupta presides over a grand yajña: fire altar blazing, priests chanting, offerings poured; Indra and devas subtly shown receiving oblations in the upper register.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmagupta
• Indra
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through both ethical governance (nīti) and sacred duty (yajña), harmonizing society and the divine order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; it provides background to the Setu/Dhanuṣkoṭi māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of various yajñas (Vedic sacrifices) in honor of the devas, with Indra foremost.