Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

इन्दुमत्युवाच । किमर्थं राजशार्दूल त्वं रोदिषि महास्वनम् । कथं ते कुशलं राज्ये शरीरे वा पुरेऽथवा

Transliteration

indumatyuvāca | kimarthaṃ rājaśārdūla tvaṃ rodiṣi mahāsvanam | kathaṃ te kuśalaṃ rājye śarīre vā pure'thavā

Translation

इन्दुमती बोली— हे राजशार्दूल! तुम इतने ऊँचे स्वर से क्यों रोते हो? क्या राज्य में, शरीर में या नगर में सब कुशल है?

Word by Word

• indumatī: Indumatī
• indumatī: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indumatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (Speech act/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• kim: what
• kim: Hetu (Reason-query/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (किमर्थम् इत्यत्र)

• artham: purpose/reason
• artham: Hetu (Purpose/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; प्रयोजनवाचक

• rājaśārdūla: O tiger among kings
• rājaśārdūla: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक) + śārdūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: राजैव शार्दूलः; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• rodiṣi: you weep
• rodiṣi: Kriyā (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: rud (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• mahāsvanam: with a loud sound
• mahāsvanam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + svana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय: महान् स्वनः यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (accusative of manner)

• katham: how
• katham: Prakāra (Manner-query/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रश्नार्थक (how)

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• kuśalam: well-being
• kuśalam: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्तृसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuśala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (अस्ति इति अध्याहार)

• rājye: in the kingdom
• rājye: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• śarīre: in (your) body/health
• śarīre: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Disjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक (or)

• pure: in the city
• pure: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• atha: or else/then
• atha: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनन्तर/प्रश्नानुबन्ध (then/and also)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Disjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक (or)

Speaker

Indumatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a palace chamber at night: the queen Indumatī, composed yet alarmed, questions the king who weeps loudly; lamps flicker, attendants keep distance, the king’s posture shows collapse of royal composure.

Characters & Entities

• Indumatī
• Rājā (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is discussed within family and governance; concern for the ruler’s inner state and outer realm sets the stage for righteous action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it initiates inquiry that will lead to dharmic remedies.