Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

सदा चिन्तामणिग्रीवं तं श्रुत्वा राजसत्तमम् । प्रवृद्धतर्षा राजानः सर्वे क्षुब्धहृदोऽभवन्

Transliteration

sadā cintāmaṇigrīvaṃ taṃ śrutvā rājasattamam | pravṛddhatarṣā rājānaḥ sarve kṣubdhahṛdo'bhavan

Translation

കണ്ഠത്തിൽ സദാ ചിന്താമണി ധരിച്ചിരുന്ന ആ രാജസത്തമനെക്കുറിച്ച് കേട്ടപ്പോൾ, എല്ലാ രാജാക്കന്മാരും വർദ്ധിച്ച തൃഷ്ണയാൽ ഹൃദയം കലങ്ങി വ്യാകുലരായി।

Word by Word

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

• चिन्तामणिग्रीवम्: having a neck (adorned) with the cintāmaṇi
• चिन्तामणिग्रीवम्: Visheshana (विशेषण; qualifying तम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिन्तामणि (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्रीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (चिन्तामणेः ग्रीवा यस्य) — अर्थतः बहुव्रीहिवत् विशेषणप्रयोग

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of श्रुत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• राजसत्तमम्: the best of kings
• राजसत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण; qualifying तम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (राज्ञां सत्तमः)

• प्रवृद्धतर्षाः: with greatly increased craving
• प्रवृद्धतर्षाः: Visheshana (विशेषण; qualifying राजानः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रवृद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + तर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (प्रवृद्धः तर्षः येषाम्)

• राजानः: kings
• राजानः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण; qualifying राजानः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• क्षुब्धहृदः: with agitated hearts
• क्षुब्धहृदः: Visheshana (विशेषण; qualifying राजानः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुब्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + हृद्/हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (क्षुब्धं हृदं येषाम्)

• अभवन्: became
• अभवन्: Kriya (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ring of kings in their courts hearing news; their faces show tightening brows and restless eyes, hands clenched—inner agitation contrasted with the distant image of the radiant king with the gem.

Characters & Entities

• Cintāmaṇi
• King (Candrasena—context)
• Other kings

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Unchecked desire turns even kings restless; the Purāṇic warning is that craving (tarṣa) leads to inner turmoil and outer violence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader episode is set in Ujjayinī (Ujjain), whose presiding deity Mahākāla becomes the ultimate sanctuary.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None here; the verse describes the psychological cause (greed) that drives the coming siege and the turn toward worship.