Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

राज्ञा चैव यतो देयं भृत्यानां भोजनं विभो । तन्ममाचक्ष्व देवेश दयां कृत्वा ममोपरि

Transliteration

rājñā caiva yato deyaṃ bhṛtyānāṃ bhojanaṃ vibho | tanmamācakṣva deveśa dayāṃ kṛtvā mamopari

Translation

Ô Seigneur, puisqu’il incombe au roi de donner la nourriture à ses serviteurs et à ceux qui dépendent de lui, explique-le-moi clairement, ô Seigneur des dieux, par compassion pour moi.

Word by Word

• राज्ञा: by the king
• राज्ञा: Karana/Agent (Instrument/Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, certainly
• एव: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• यतः: therefore/for which reason
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेतुवाचक/सम्बन्धबोधक (from which/therefore)

• देयम्: (is) to be given
• देयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + देय (कृदन्त, यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्यय (to be given)

• भृत्यानाम्: of the servants
• भृत्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• भोजनम्: food, feeding
• भोजनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विभो: O Lord
• विभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• तत्: that (matter)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मम: to me/of me
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• आचक्ष्व: tell, explain
• आचक्ष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• देवेश: O Lord of the gods
• देवेश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानाम् ईशः)

• दयाम्: compassion
• दयाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having shown/done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) + कृत्वा (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having done’

• मम: of me
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• उपरि: upon, towards
• उपरि: Adhikarana (Reference/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश/अधिकरणवाचक (adverb/postposition: ‘upon/towards’)

Speaker

Unspecified petitioner (listener in the dialogue), addressing Devēśa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmā/Devēśa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The rākṣasa addresses the deity-like elder as Devēśa, emphasizing the king’s obligation to feed dependents; the posture is pleading, with a compassionate, instructive presence opposite him.

Characters & Entities

• Devēśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rulership is a dharmic trust: a king must sustain dependents, and humility before the divine is praised.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya framework; this snippet emphasizes dharma within a pilgrimage narrative rather than naming a single tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A social-dharmic prescription: providing food/maintenance (bhojana-dāna) to servants and dependents.