Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

सिंहासनं समारुह्य न कर्तुं युज्यते बत । चतुरर्णवपर्यंतधरापालनमंजसा

Transliteration

siṃhāsanaṃ samāruhya na kartuṃ yujyate bata | caturarṇavaparyaṃtadharāpālanamaṃjasā

Translation

«Hélas, il ne me sied pas de monter sur le trône et de gouverner aisément la terre bornée par les quatre océans.»

Word by Word

• सिंहासनम्: the throne
• सिंहासनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह + आसन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचनम् (Accusative singular)

• समारुह्य: having ascended
• समारुह्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + √रुह् (धातु) + क्त्वा (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• कर्तुम्: to do/to undertake
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive)

• युज्यते: is fitting
• युज्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √युज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (is proper/is fitting)

• बत: alas/indeed
• बत: Sambandha (Exclamation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बत (अव्यय)
• Form: विस्मय/खेद-निपात (particle of alas/indeed)

• चतुरर्णवपर्यंतधरापालनम्: ruling/protecting the earth bounded by the four oceans
• चतुरर्णवपर्यंतधरापालनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + अर्णव + पर्यन्त + धरा + पालन (प्रातिपदिक; बहुपद-समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (here as subject of युज्यते: nominative sg); अर्थः: 'the protection of the earth up to the four oceans'

• अंजसा: easily
• अंजसा: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अंजस (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययभाव)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण तृतीया-एकवचनम् (adverbial instrumental: easily/straightway)

Speaker

Śaṅkara (Pāṇḍya king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ministers (amātyāḥ)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king gestures away from the throne, declaring it unfit for him to ascend and rule the four-ocean-bounded earth; the throne looms empty, ministers watch in shock and sorrow.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Pāṇḍya king)
• throne (siṃhāsana)
• earth bounded by four oceans

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power is a dharmic responsibility; when conscience declares unfitness, restraint and renunciation become virtues.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu-kṣetra’s narrative setting frames the episode, though this verse itself stresses rājadharma rather than a site-description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is on eligibility and duty in governance.