Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 126

Devanagari script

शाधि राज्यं च खल्वेतन्नान्यथा मे वचः कुरु । प्रजास्त्वं रक्ष धर्मेण नोत्तरं वक्तुमर्हसि

Transliteration

śādhi rājyaṃ ca khalvetannānyathā me vacaḥ kuru | prajāstvaṃ rakṣa dharmeṇa nottaraṃ vaktumarhasi

Translation

ಈ ರಾಜ್ಯವನ್ನು ನಿಶ್ಚಯವಾಗಿ ನೀನೇ ಆಳು; ನನ್ನ ಆಜ್ಞೆಗೆ ವಿರುದ್ಧವಾಗಿ ಏನೂ ಮಾಡಬೇಡ. ಧರ್ಮಮಾರ್ಗದಿಂದ ಪ್ರಜೆಯನ್ನು ರಕ್ಷಿಸು; ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ಪ್ರತಿವಾದ ಹೇಳಲು ನೀನು ಅರ್ಹನಲ್ಲ.

Word by Word

• शाधि: rule / govern
• शाधि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शास् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative); मध्यम-पुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• राज्यम्: the kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: Sambandha (Emphasis/निश्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक (indeed)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (otherwise)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी-एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• वचः: word / command
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• कुरु: do / follow
• कुरु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative); मध्यम-पुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रजाः: the subjects
• प्रजाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-बहुवचन (Accusative plural)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• रक्ष: protect
• रक्ष: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative); मध्यम-पुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• धर्मेण: by righteousness / according to dharma
• धर्मेण: Karaṇa (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• उत्तरम्: reply / answer
• उत्तरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• वक्तुम्: to speak
• वक्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) → वक्तुम् (तुमुन्)
• Form: कृदन्त; तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (infinitive)

• अर्हसि: you are fit / you ought
• अर्हसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present); मध्यम-पुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Rāma

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma, composed and authoritative, instructs a successor/attendant in the courtly setting of Ayodhyā: ‘Rule and protect the people by dharma.’ Courtiers and vānaras stand respectfully; the mood is solemn, kingly, and directive.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Prajā
• Dharma
• Rājya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Authority must be exercised as dharma: the king’s legitimacy rests on protecting people righteously.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā’s dharmic ideal radiates outward—its king sets standards even for distant Laṅkā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a governance prescription: prajā-rakṣaṇa through dharma.