Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

सगराद्या महीपाला वाजिमेधविधायकाः । कृतवंतो महायत्नं शक्रैश्वर्यजिघृक्षवः

Transliteration

sagarādyā mahīpālā vājimedhavidhāyakāḥ | kṛtavaṃto mahāyatnaṃ śakraiśvaryajighṛkṣavaḥ

Translation

Des rois tels que Sagara, accomplisseurs des sacrifices Aśvamedha, déployèrent de grands efforts, désireux de s’emparer de la souveraineté et de la splendeur de Śakra (Indra).

Word by Word

• सगराद्याः: Sagara and others
• सगराद्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सगर + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; ‘सगरः आदिः येषाम्’

• महीपालाः: kings (earth-protectors)
• महीपालाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; ‘महीम् पालयन्ति’

• वाजिमेधविधायकाः: performers of the Aśvamedha
• वाजिमेधविधायकाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाजिमेध + विधायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; ‘वाजिमेधं विधधति’ (कर्म-तत्पुरुषः)

• कृतवन्तः: did / have done
• कृतवन्तः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्तवत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; finite sense with implied ‘असन्’

• महायत्नम्: great effort
• महायत्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; ‘महान् यत्नः’

• शक्रैश्वर्यजिघृक्षवः: wishing to seize Indra’s sovereignty
• शक्रैश्वर्यजिघृक्षवः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्र + ऐश्वर्य + जिघृक्षु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्; ‘शक्रस्य ऐश्वर्यं जिघृक्षवः’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: null

Type: null

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal sacrificial arena: King Sagara and other monarchs preside over an Aśvamedha with priests chanting; above, a vision of Indra’s splendor that the kings aspire to match.

Characters & Entities

• Sagara
• Mahīpālas (kings)
• Aśvamedha
• Śakra (Indra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power pursued through ritual without inner humility can become mere rivalry; dharma frames sacrifice as service, not conquest.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The surrounding passage extols a Mahendra/Amarāvatī-like divine station in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of the Vāji-medha (Aśvamedha) sacrifice is referenced.