Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

आसीन्मद्रेषु धर्मात्मा सर्वभूतहिते रतः । पार्थिवोऽश्वपतिर्नाम पौरजानपद प्रियः

Transliteration

āsīnmadreṣu dharmātmā sarvabhūtahite rataḥ | pārthivo'śvapatirnāma paurajānapada priyaḥ

Translation

मद्रदेश में अश्वपति नाम का एक धर्मात्मा राजा था, जो समस्त प्राणियों के हित में रत और नगर-ग्राम के लोगों का प्रिय था।

Word by Word

• āsīt: was
• āsīt: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (singular)

• madreṣu: among/in the Madras (country/people)
• madreṣu: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• dharmātmā: a righteous-souled one
• dharmātmā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma-ātman (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• sarvabhūtahite: in the welfare of all beings
• sarvabhūtahite: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva-bhūta-hita (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + भूत + हित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः (neuter), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• rataḥ: devoted, engaged
• rataḥ: Karta-anvaya (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rata (प्रातिपदिक; √ram/√rañj-निष्ठा/कृदन्त-प्रयोग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम् (singular); विशेषणम् (adjective)

• pārthivaḥ: a king
• pārthivaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• aśvapatiḥ: Aśvapati (lord of horses; name)
• aśvapatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśva-pati (प्रातिपदिक; अश्व + पति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Sambandha/Name-marker (नामनिर्देशक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; नाम-शब्दः (indeclinable used to indicate ‘by name’)

• paura-jānapada-priyaḥ: dear to townsmen and countryfolk
• paura-jānapada-priyaḥ: Karta-anvaya (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paura-jānapada-priya (प्रातिपदिक; पौर + जानपद + प्रिय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम् (singular); विशेषणम्

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A righteous king Aśvapati in Madra-land, shown in a court scene with townsfolk and villagers expressing affection; the mood is orderly, dharmic governance preceding a sacred journey.

Characters & Entities

• Aśvapati
• Madra (country/people)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma-centered rulership is defined by compassion and public welfare, making the king beloved and spiritually fit for tīrtha-acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sets the narrative background; Prabhāsa Kṣetra remains the central tīrtha of the chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly here; it introduces the dharmic king who will later undertake pilgrimage and vow.