Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

यस्यां जाता महीपालाः सूर्यवंशसमुद्भवाः । इक्ष्वाकुप्रमुखाः सर्वे प्रजापालनतत्पराः

Transliteration

yasyāṃ jātā mahīpālāḥ sūryavaṃśasamudbhavāḥ | ikṣvākupramukhāḥ sarve prajāpālanatatparāḥ

Translation

Dans cette cité naquirent des rois, protecteurs de la terre, issus de la Dynastie solaire—à commencer par Ikṣvāku—tous voués à la garde et au bien de leurs sujets.

Word by Word

• यस्याम्: in which (city)
• यस्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक-यत् (relative pronoun)

• जाता: were born
• जाता: Karta (Predicate participle)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जात (कृदन्त; √जन् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (जाताḥ); पाठे 'जाता' इति संहितारूप/लोप; कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• मही: earth
• मही: Sambandha (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, समासे पूर्वपद (stem)

• पालाः: protectors; kings
• पालाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासे उत्तरपद (महीपाल)

• सूर्य: Sun
• सूर्य: Sambandha (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासे पूर्वपद (stem)

• वंश: dynasty
• वंश: Sambandha (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासे मध्यपद (stem)

• समुद्भवाः: arisen from, descended from
• समुद्भवाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समुद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासे उत्तरपद (सूर्यवंशसमुद्भव)

• इक्ष्वाकु: Ikṣvāku
• इक्ष्वाकु: Sambandha (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इक्ष्वाकु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासे पूर्वपद (stem)

• प्रमुखाः: having as chief; headed by
• प्रमुखाः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासे उत्तरपद (इक्ष्वाकुप्रमुख)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• प्रजा: subjects, people
• प्रजा: Karman (Object within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, समासे पूर्वपद (stem)

• पालन: protection, governance
• पालन: Sambandha (Qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पालन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, समासे मध्यपद (stem)

• तत्पराः: devoted/intent on
• तत्पराः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासे उत्तरपद (प्रजापालनतत्पर)

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced for Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa narrative context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A genealogical tableau: a line of Solar Dynasty kings emerging from Ayodhyā’s palace halls—Ikṣvāku foremost—each depicted as vigilant guardians of the people, with symbols of justice (daṇḍa), charity (dāna), and protection (shield).

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā
• Sūryavaṃśa
• Ikṣvāku

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True kingship is prajā-pālana—ruling as protection and service; lineage is honored when it upholds dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā, celebrated as the birthplace-region of Solar dynasty rulers beginning with Ikṣvāku.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse teaches rāja-dharma (duty of rulers) as the city’s hallmark.