Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

राजसूयकृतेऽस्माकं सदा बुद्धिः प्रवर्तते । निषेधयंति मां सर्वे मन्त्रिणः सुहृदस्तदा

Transliteration

rājasūyakṛte'smākaṃ sadā buddhiḥ pravartate | niṣedhayaṃti māṃ sarve mantriṇaḥ suhṛdastadā

Translation

Mon esprit est sans cesse porté vers l’accomplissement du sacrifice du Rājasūya. Pourtant, en ce temps-là, tous mes ministres et mes proches bienveillants me retiennent.

Word by Word

• राजसूयकृते: in/for the Rājasūya (sacrifice) undertaking
• राजसूयकृते: Adhikarana (Topic/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजसूयकृत (प्रातिपदिक; राजसूय + कृत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अर्थे ‘राजसूयस्य कृते/विषये’

• अस्माकम्: of us/our
• अस्माकम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• सदा: always
• सदा: Avyaya (Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• बुद्धिः: intention, resolve
• बुद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रवर्तते: proceeds, is set in motion
• प्रवर्तते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• निषेधयन्ति: they forbid, restrain
• निषेधयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + सिध्/सेध् (धातु; निषेधयति)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (मन्त्रिणः/सुहृदः)

• मन्त्रिणः: ministers, counselors
• मन्त्रिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सुहृदः: friends, well-wishers
• सुहृदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुहृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Avyaya (Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then/at that time)

Speaker

Harīścandra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Harīścandra speaks earnestly, gesturing toward an imagined sacrificial arena; ministers stand with restrained hands, signaling caution; the deity listens, calm and discerning.

Characters & Entities

• Harīścandra
• Ministers (mantriṇaḥ)
• Rājasūya (sacrifice)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even dharmic ambitions like great sacrifices require prudence and counsel; royal dharma balances zeal with wise restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse shifts to the king’s sacrificial aim within the tīrtha-māhātmya narrative; it does not name a specific site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The Rājasūya yajña is referenced as the intended royal rite.