Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

पुरासीत्पार्थिवो ना्ना विख्यातो बलवर्धनः । समुद्रवलयामुर्वीं बुभुजे यो भुजार्जिताम्

Transliteration

purāsītpārthivo nā्nā vikhyāto balavardhanaḥ | samudravalayāmurvīṃ bubhuje yo bhujārjitām

Translation

Dans les temps anciens, il y eut un roi renommé nommé Balavardhana ; il jouit de la terre ceinte par l’océan, conquise par la force de ses propres bras.

Word by Word

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• आसीत्: there was
• आसीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• पार्थिवः: a king
• पार्थिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• विख्यातः: renowned
• विख्यातः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विख्यात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वि-√ख्या (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (renowned)

• बलवर्धनः: Balavardhana (strength-increaser; proper name)
• बलवर्धनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल + वर्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष (बलस्य वर्धनः)

• समुद्रवलयाम्: girdled by the ocean
• समुद्रवलयाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समुद्र + वलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—बहुव्रीहि (समुद्रः वलयः यस्याः)

• उर्वीम्: the earth
• उर्वीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उर्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• बुभुजे: enjoyed/ruled
• बुभुजे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम

• भुजार्जिताम्: won by (his) arms/valor
• भुजार्जिताम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुज् (प्रातिपदिक: भुजा) + अर्जित (कृदन्त; √अर्ज् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष (भुजाभ्याम् अर्जिता)

Speaker

Sūta

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A powerful ancient king Balavardhana in royal attire, holding bow or mace, seated on a lion-throne; behind him a stylized map-like ocean-girdled earth, indicating chakravartin dominion.

Characters & Entities

• Balavardhana (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic tīrtha sections often ground sacred merit in exemplary histories, showing how rulers and households connect to holy places.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse begins a narrative that will serve the Puṣkara-region tīrtha discussion, but the specific tīrtha is not named in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces a historical narrative about a king.