Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

तस्मिञ्छासति लोकानां नासीत्सौख्यं कदाचन । परदार रुचिर्नित्यं महादण्डपरश्च सः

Transliteration

tasmiñchāsati lokānāṃ nāsītsaukhyaṃ kadācana | paradāra rucirnityaṃ mahādaṇḍaparaśca saḥ

Translation

Sous son règne, le peuple ne connut jamais le bonheur. Il était sans cesse porté vers les épouses d’autrui et s’adonnait aux châtiments cruels.

Word by Word

• tasmin: when/while he (was)
• tasmin: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• śāsati: (he) rules
• śāsati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śās (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; वर्तमानकाले ("while ruling")

• lokānām: of the people
• lokānām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• āsīt: was
• āsīt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• saukhyam: happiness
• saukhyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saukhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kadācana: ever
• kadācana: Kāla-adhikarana (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadācana (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक ("ever/at any time")

• paradāraḥ: another’s wife
• paradāraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para-dāra (प्रातिपदिक; पर + दार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (परस्य दाराः)

• ruciḥ: desire/liking
• ruciḥ: Karta (Predicate-noun/कर्ता-स्थानी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ruci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/नित्यत्ववाचक क्रियाविशेषण (always)

• mahādaṇḍaparaḥ: given to harsh punishment
• mahādaṇḍaparaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā-daṇḍa-para (प्रातिपदिक; महा + दण्ड + पर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (महादण्डे परः = devoted to severe punishment)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

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

Speaker

Pulastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra (narrative locus)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A split tableau: on one side, oppressed citizens with downcast faces; on the other, the king pursuing another’s wife while guards wield rods—symbolizing lust and harsh punishment.

Characters & Entities

• Aprastuta (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A ruler’s adharma becomes public suffering; personal vice and cruelty in governance destroy collective well-being.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it continues the background story leading to the tīrtha’s saving power.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it condemns immoral conduct (paradāra) and oppressive punishment.