Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

भस्मधारणसामर्थ्याच्छत्रुसैन्यं विजेष्यसि । प्राप्य सिंहासनं पैत्र्यं गोप्तासि पृथिवीमिमाम्

Transliteration

bhasmadhāraṇasāmarthyācchatrusainyaṃ vijeṣyasi | prāpya siṃhāsanaṃ paitryaṃ goptāsi pṛthivīmimām

Translation

വിഭൂതി ധാരണയിൽ നിന്നുള്ള സാമർത്ഥ്യത്താൽ നീ ശത്രുസൈന്യത്തെ ജയിക്കും; പൈതൃക സിംഹാസനം പ്രാപിച്ച് ഈ ഭൂമിയെ സംരക്ഷിക്കും।

Word by Word

• भस्मधारणसामर्थ्यात्: because of the capability of wearing ash
• भस्मधारणसामर्थ्यात्: Apadana/Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्म-धारण-सामर्थ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/हेतु), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (because of)

• शत्रुसैन्यम्: the enemy army
• शत्रुसैन्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत्रु-सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘शत्रोः सैन्यम्’)

• विजेष्यसि: you will conquer
• विजेष्यसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि (धातु) + वि- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्राप्य: having obtained
• प्राप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्ययीभाव/क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘having obtained’

• सिंहासनम्: throne
• सिंहासनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह-आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (‘सिंहस्य आसनम्’ = royal throne)

• पैत्र्यम्: ancestral, paternal
• पैत्र्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पैत्र्य (प्रातिपदिक; पितृ-सम्बन्धि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• गोप्ता: protector
• गोप्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुप् (धातु) + तृच् (कर्तरि)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक-तृचन्त (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• असि: you are / will be
• असि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पृथिवीम्: the earth
• पृथिवीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषणम्

Speaker

Ṛṣabha (yogī-sage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king, marked with sacred ash (tripuṇḍra), stands victorious over a routed enemy host. He ascends the ancestral throne, then is shown in a second vignette as protector of the earth—holding a scepter, calm and just.

Characters & Entities

• bhasma-dhāraṇa
• śatru-sainya
• siṃhāsana
• pṛthivī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śaiva practice (bhasma-dhāraṇa) is linked to rājadharma: power is meant for defeating adharma and protecting the world.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred geography is named in this verse; it emphasizes dharma of rulership supported by Śaiva observance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bhasma-dhāraṇa—wearing sacred ash—as a stated source of efficacy and victory.