Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

संप्रतिशरणं चैव पीडितानां च शब्दिते । आर्तत्राणपरा ये च क्षत्रिया ब्रह्मणा कृताः

Transliteration

saṃpratiśaraṇaṃ caiva pīḍitānāṃ ca śabdite | ārtatrāṇaparā ye ca kṣatriyā brahmaṇā kṛtāḥ

Translation

Ils doivent être le refuge immédiat lorsque les opprimés crient dans la détresse. Ces kṣatriya, façonnés par Brahmā, sont voués au salut de ceux qui souffrent.

Word by Word

• सं-प्रति-शरणम्: immediate refuge
• सं-प्रति-शरणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम् (उपसर्ग) + प्रति (उपसर्ग) + शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक-प्रातिपदिक (sense: 'immediate refuge')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-निपात

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण-निपात

• पीडितानाम्: of the afflicted
• पीडितानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीडित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) 'पीडित' used substantively

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-निपात

• शब्दिते: when there is a cry/alarm
• शब्दिते: Adhikarana (Occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्दित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) 'शब्दित' = 'called out/cry raised' (locative of occasion)

• आर्त-त्राण-पराः: devoted to saving the distressed
• आर्त-त्राण-पराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्त (प्रातिपदिक) + त्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समास: आर्तत्राणे पराः (devoted to rescuing the distressed)

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-निपात

• क्षत्रियाः: kṣatriyas
• क्षत्रियाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ब्रह्मणा: by Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• कृताः: were made/created
• कृताः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (passive sense: 'were made/created')

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A distressed group approaches a king; the king steps forward as immediate refuge—hand raised in assurance—while soldiers form a protective circle; a sage witnesses, signifying dharma’s sanction.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sacred duty of authority is to become refuge for those in pain; compassion expressed as protection is a core kṣatriya virtue.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is specified in this verse; it provides dharmic orientation within the broader tīrtha-māhātmya section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is detailed; the prescription is ethical—responding to cries of distress with protection.