Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 97

Devanagari script

एते चान्ये च बहवो राजानो नीतिवर्तिनः । धर्माधर्मविचारज्ञाः सुधर्मायां समासते

Transliteration

ete cānye ca bahavo rājāno nītivartinaḥ | dharmādharmavicārajñāḥ sudharmāyāṃ samāsate

Translation

Ceux-ci, et bien d’autres rois encore, qui vivent selon la juste conduite—habiles à discerner le dharma de l’adharma—sont assis ensemble dans l’assemblée céleste nommée Sudharmā.

Word by Word

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

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

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• राजानः: kings
• राजानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नीतिवर्तिनः: abiding by right conduct/policy
• नीतिवर्तिनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नीति + वर्तिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सप्तमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नीतौ वर्तन्ते इति) विशेषणम्

• धर्माधर्मविचारज्ञाः: knowing the discernment of dharma and adharma
• धर्माधर्मविचारज्ञाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + अधर्म + विचार + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (धर्म-अधर्म-विचारस्य ज्ञाः) विशेषणम्

• सुधर्मायाम्: in Sudharmā (assembly hall)
• सुधर्मायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुधर्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• समासते: they sit/assemble
• समासते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmin interlocutor (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wide celestial hall labeled ‘Sudharmā’, filled with many kings seated together, each attentive and composed, suggesting shared commitment to dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Sudharmā
• rājānaḥ (kings)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True kingship is measured by nīti and the ability to judge dharma versus adharma, which earns a place among the honored.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly Kāśī is the broader sacred setting of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, though this verse highlights Sudharmā as an exalted assembly.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse teaches ethical discernment and righteous conduct rather than a specific rite.