Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 96

Devanagari script

यस्य राज्ञश्च विषये ब्राह्मणः सीदति क्षुधा । तस्य तच्छतधा राष्ट्रमचिरादेव सीदति

Transliteration

yasya rājñaśca viṣaye brāhmaṇaḥ sīdati kṣudhā | tasya tacchatadhā rāṣṭramacirādeva sīdati

Translation

Dans le royaume de tout roi où un Brāhmaṇa souffre de misère par la faim, le pays de ce roi tombe bientôt en ruine au centuple.

Word by Word

• यस्य: of whom/whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठीविभक्ति, एकवचन (gender-contextual)

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठीविभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• विषये: in the territory
• विषये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमीविभक्ति, एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणः: a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सीदति: sinks/falls into distress
• सीदति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √सद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• क्षुधा: by hunger
• क्षुधा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुध् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तस्य: of that (king)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठीविभक्ति, एकवचन (gender-contextual)

• तत्: that (very)
• तत्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देशक

• शतधा: a hundredfold
• शतधा: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शतधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• राष्ट्रम्: kingdom/state
• राष्ट्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अचिरात्: soon
• अचिरात्: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अचिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) = ‘before long/soon’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• सीदति: falls into ruin/sinks
• सीदति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √सद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Śiva (deduced from nearby verses identifying Brāhmaṇas as Śiva’s form)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dharma-seeking audience (including rulers/patrons)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stark contrast: a hungry brāhmaṇa in a neglected corner of the realm; in the background, symbols of the kingdom—granaries, fort, banners—crack and wither, showing ‘hundredfold’ ruin as a moral allegory.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Rājā
• Rāṣṭra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Neglect of dharma—especially allowing sacred custodians to suffer—brings swift collective downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, as part of its māhātmya teaching righteous rule.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; the practical dharma is ensured sustenance (anna-dāna/maintenance) for Brāhmaṇas.