Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

पुरुषान् सायुधांश्चापि ब्राह्मणान्सपुरोहितान् । दासीदासान्पदातींश्च चास्याः संरक्षणक्षमान्

Transliteration

puruṣān sāyudhāṃścāpi brāhmaṇānsapurohitān | dāsīdāsānpadātīṃśca cāsyāḥ saṃrakṣaṇakṣamān

Translation

അവൻ ആയുധധാരികളായ പുരുഷന്മാരെയും, പുരോഹിതനോടുകൂടിയ ബ്രാഹ്മണന്മാരെയും, ദാസീദാസന്മാരെയും, പദാതി സൈന്യത്തെയും—അവളുടെ സംരക്ഷണത്തിന് യോഗ്യരായവരെ—നിയോഗിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• पुरुषान्: men
• पुरुषान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सायुधान्: armed
• सायुधान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + आयुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पुरुषान्); ‘with weapons’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (also/even)

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सपुरोहितान्: with (their) priests
• सपुरोहितान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + पुरोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (ब्राह्मणान्); ‘together with priests/with their purohitas’

• दासीदासान्: female and male servants
• दासीदासान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दासी + दास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (दासी च दास च)

• पदातीन्: foot-soldiers
• पदातीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पदाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अस्याः: of her
• अस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• संरक्षणक्षमान्: capable of guarding/protecting
• संरक्षणक्षमान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सं-√रक्ष् (धातु) + क्षम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पुरुषान्/पदातीन् आदि); समासः—तत्पुरुष (संरक्षणे क्षमाः)

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A protective entourage is assembled: armed guards with bows/spears, brāhmaṇas with sacred threads and water-pots, the family priest with ritual implements, servants and foot-soldiers ready for travel.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Purohita
• Armed guards
• Servants
• Foot-soldiers
• Bhānumatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma integrates spiritual authority (brāhmaṇas, purohita) and worldly safeguards (guards, attendants) to uphold righteous living.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the verse supports the broader tīrtha-travel framework typical of the Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; it describes dharmic arrangements—ensuring a protected environment for vrata and pilgrimage-oriented life.