Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

चकार स तदा विप्राः पौरोहित्यं महीपतेः । सूर्यवंशप्रसूतस्य सुप्रियस्य महात्मनः

Transliteration

cakāra sa tadā viprāḥ paurohityaṃ mahīpateḥ | sūryavaṃśaprasūtasya supriyasya mahātmanaḥ

Translation

En ce temps-là, ô brāhmanes, il exerça la charge de purohita, prêtre royal du roi, le magnanime Supriya, issu de la dynastie solaire (Sūryavaṃśa).

Word by Word

• cakāra: did, performed
• cakāra: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kriyavisheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (then)

• viprāḥ: brahmins
• viprāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• paurohityam: priestly office, chaplaincy
• paurohityam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purohita (प्रातिपदिक) + -ya (भाव/कार्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक/कार्यवाचक संज्ञा (office/duty of a purohita)

• mahīpateḥ: of the king
• mahīpateḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahīpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• sūrya-vaṃśa-prasūtasya: born in the Solar dynasty
• sūrya-vaṃśa-prasūtasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sūrya (प्रातिपदिक) + vaṃśa (प्रातिपदिक) + prasūta (कृदन्त; √sū सू + pra, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सूर्यवंशात् प्रसूतः)

• supriyasya: of Supriya (named Supriya)
• supriyasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: supriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (mahīpateḥ)

• mahātmanaḥ: of the great-souled (one)
• mahātmanaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (mahīpateḥ)

Speaker

Sūta

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: viprāḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal court: King Supriya of the Solar line seated on a throne; the brāhmaṇa purohita stands with staff and sacred thread, holding a manuscript/kuśa; attendants and banners; atmosphere of solemn counsel.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Śākalya
• King Supriya
• Sūryavaṃśa (Solar dynasty)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Social harmony in dharma rests on rightful roles—brāhmaṇas guiding through ritual wisdom and kings protecting through righteous rule.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse establishes historical-personal context (king and priest) within the adhyāya; the tīrtha’s praise is carried by the wider narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Paurohitya (royal priestly service) implies conducting and supervising the king’s dharmic rites, though no single rite is specified here.