Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

राजन्क्व ते महास्त्राणि क्व ते श्लाघ्यं महद्धनुः । क्व ते द्वादशसाहस्रमहानागातिगं बलम्

Transliteration

rājankva te mahāstrāṇi kva te ślāghyaṃ mahaddhanuḥ | kva te dvādaśasāhasramahānāgātigaṃ balam

Translation

രാജാവേ, ഇപ്പോൾ നിന്റെ മഹാസ്ത്രങ്ങൾ എവിടെ? പ്രശംസിക്കപ്പെടുന്ന നിന്റെ മഹാധനുസ്സ് എവിടെ? പന്ത്രണ്ടായിരം മഹാഗജങ്ങളെയും മീതെക്കടക്കുമെന്നു പറയുന്ന നിന്റെ ബലം എവിടെ പോയി?

Word by Word

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• क्व: where
• क्व: Sambandha (Interrogative modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (where)

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महास्त्राणि: great weapons
• महास्त्राणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + astra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (महानि अस्त्राणि)

• क्व: where
• क्व: Sambandha (Interrogative modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्लाघ्यम्: praiseworthy
• श्लाघ्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ślāghya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• क्व: where
• क्व: Sambandha (Interrogative modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्वादशसाहस्रमहानागातिगम्: surpassing twelve-thousand great elephants (in strength)
• द्वादशसाहस्रमहानागातिगम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvādaśa + sāhasra + mahā + nāga + atiga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (द्वादशसाहस्र-महानाग-अतिगम् = द्वादशसाहस्रैः महा-नागान् अतिगच्छति इति/अतिक्रमणक्षमम्)

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

A grieving woman (queen/consort) admonishing the king (inferred from direct address 'rājan')

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: राजा (addressed as 'rājan')

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A speaker confronts a fallen or defeated king, gesturing toward abandoned weapons—bow, quiver, mace—while evoking the legend of elephant-like strength.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power and reputation are meaningful only when used in dharma—especially protection; otherwise they become empty boasts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse emphasizes rāja-dharma and accountability.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is a moral challenge directed at a ruler.