Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

धर्मज्ञश्च कृतज्ञश्च यज्वा दानरतः सदा । प्रजा ररक्ष यत्नेन पिता पुत्रानिवौरसान्

Transliteration

dharmajñaśca kṛtajñaśca yajvā dānarataḥ sadā | prajā rarakṣa yatnena pitā putrānivaurasān

Translation

അവൻ ധർമ്മജ്ഞനും കൃതജ്ഞനും, യജ്ഞകർതാവും, സദാ ദാനപരനും ആയിരുന്നു. പിതാവ് സ്വന്തം പുത്രന്മാരെപ്പോലെ, അവൻ പരിശ്രമത്തോടെ പ്രജയെ സംരക്ഷിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• धर्मज्ञः: knower of dharma
• धर्मज्ञः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म-ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + ज्ञ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; राजा-विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कृतज्ञः: grateful; appreciative
• कृतज्ञः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत-ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक; कृत + ज्ञ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; राजा-विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• यज्वा: a sacrificer; one who performs yajñas
• यज्वा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यज् (धातु) + क्विप् (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त-नाम (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘यज्ञकर्ता’ अर्थे; राजा-विशेषण

• दानरतः: devoted to giving
• दानरतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान-रत (प्रातिपदिक; दान + रत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; राजा-विशेषण

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time/frequency)

• प्रजाः: the subjects; people
• प्रजाः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• ररक्ष: protected
• ररक्ष: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• यत्नेन: with effort; diligently
• यत्नेन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• पिता: (like) a father
• पिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; उपमान-रूपेण (as a father)

• पुत्रान्: sons
• पुत्रान्: Upameya (Object of comparison/उपमेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Upama-marker (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• औरसान्: own; legitimate (born of one’s body)
• औरसान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: औरस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन; पुत्रान्-विशेषण

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A righteous king Devapanna performs yajña, gives gifts to supplicants, and stands watchfully over his people; subjects appear secure, like children under a father’s protection.

Characters & Entities

• Devapanna
• Dharma
• Yajña
• Dāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rulers and householders alike are praised for dharma-knowledge, gratitude, yajña, dāna, and compassionate protection—core pillars of Purāṇic dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named in this verse; it characterizes the king whose story will ground the tīrtha’s māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Yajña (sacrificial worship) and dāna (charitable giving) are highlighted as his steady practices.