Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 21
Devanagari script
वरं विषादनं राज्ञो वरमग्नौ प्रवेशनम् । अनाथानां प्रपन्नानां कृपणानामरक्षणात्
Transliteration
varaṃ viṣādanaṃ rājño varamagnau praveśanam | anāthānāṃ prapannānāṃ kṛpaṇānāmarakṣaṇāt
Translation
王にとっては、嘆きに沈むこと、さらには火中に入ることさえ、身寄りなき者、帰依して身を委ねる者、貧しき者を守らぬより勝る。
Word by Word
वरम्better
वरम्:
Visheshana (Comparative predicate/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootvara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd; adverbial use), एकवचन (Singular)
विषादनम्dejection, despair
विषादनम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootvi-ṣādana (प्रातिपदिक; from √sad/ṣad with vi-, causative sense)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
राज्ञःof a king
राज्ञः:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootrājan (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)
वरम्better
वरम्:
Visheshana (Comparative predicate/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootvara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd; adverbial use), एकवचन (Singular)
अग्नौin fire
अग्नौ:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootagni (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)
प्रवेशनम्entering
प्रवेशनम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpraveśana (प्रातिपदिक; from √viś with pra-)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
अनाथानाम्of the helpless
अनाथानाम्:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootanātha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)
प्रपन्नानाम्of those who have sought refuge
प्रपन्नानाम्:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootpra-panna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; from √pad with pra-, past participle)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)
कृपणानाम्of the wretched
कृपणानाम्:
Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootkṛpaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)
अरक्षणात्than non-protection (failure to protect)
अरक्षणात्:
Apadana (Ablative cause/source/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Roota-rakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक; nañ + rakṣaṇa)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)
Speaker
A moral admonisher within the narrative (continuing rebuke to the king)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A king at the edge of a sacrificial fire-pit (agni) turns away from self-destruction and instead extends his hand in protection to a cluster of helpless supplicants; the fire symbolizes the extreme alternative rejected in favor of dharma.
FAQs
A ruler’s gravest failure is neglecting the vulnerable; such neglect is portrayed as worse than self-destruction.
No tīrtha is mentioned.
None; it is a strong ethical injunction about protection.