Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 157

Devanagari script

आत्मनो वचनं व्यर्थं न करोति कथंचन । सर्वेषां पुत्रपौत्राणां मध्ये यो राजते श्रिया

Transliteration

ātmano vacanaṃ vyarthaṃ na karoti kathaṃcana | sarveṣāṃ putrapautrāṇāṃ madhye yo rājate śriyā

Translation

Il ne rend jamais vaine sa propre parole, d’aucune manière. Parmi tous les fils et petits-fils, c’est lui qui rayonne de prospérité et d’éclat.

Word by Word

• आत्मनः: of himself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वचनम्: word; promise
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• व्यर्थम्: vain; futile
• व्यर्थम्: Karma (Object-complement/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (वचनम् इति)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• करोति: makes; does
• करोति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कथंचन: in any way at all
• कथंचन: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) = ‘कथम् + चन’ (in any way/at all)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• पुत्रपौत्राणाम्: of sons and grandsons
• पुत्रपौत्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र + पौत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (itaretara) ‘sons and grandsons’

• मध्ये: in the midst
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

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

• राजते: shines; reigns
• राजते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √राज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• श्रिया: with splendor/fortune
• श्रिया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (deduced, characterization)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A courtly scene where a chosen heir is praised for unwavering truthfulness; elders and kin look on as royal fortune (Śrī) is symbolically present.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī (as prosperity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Truthfulness and steadfastness to one’s promise are portrayed as the foundation of legitimate splendor and rulership.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The larger discourse is within Vastrāpatha-kṣetra Māhātmya in Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa; this verse focuses on rāja-guṇas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it emphasizes ethical discipline (keeping one’s word).