Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

तस्य पालयतो भूमिं धर्मेण मुनिपुंगवाः । व्यतीयाय महान्कालः सुखेनैव महामतेः

Transliteration

tasya pālayato bhūmiṃ dharmeṇa munipuṃgavāḥ | vyatīyāya mahānkālaḥ sukhenaiva mahāmateḥ

Translation

ഹേ മുനിപുങ്ഗവന്മാരേ! അവൻ ധർമ്മപ്രകാരം ഭൂമിയെ ഭരിക്കുമ്പോൾ, ആ മഹാമതിയുടെ ദീർഘകാലം സുഖശാന്തിയോടെ തന്നേ കടന്നുപോയി.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (6th/Genitive), एकवचनम् (singular)

• पालयतः: while (he was) ruling/protecting
• पालयतः: Adjectival to 'तस्य' (कर्तृवाचक-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पालयत् (पाल् धातु, शतृ-प्रत्ययः)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्तः (present active participle), परस्मैपदी; पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• भूमिम्: the earth/kingdom
• भूमिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः (feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• धर्मेण: by righteousness
• धर्मेण: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचनम् (singular)

• मुनिपुंगवाः: O best of sages
• मुनिपुंगवाः: Sambodhyatva/Addressed (Vocative sense in context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + पुंगव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• व्यतीयाय: passed by, elapsed
• व्यतीयाय: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति + इ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (singular)

• महान्: great
• महान्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• कालः: time
• कालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• सुखेन: with ease, pleasantly
• सुखेन: Karana (Manner/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः (neuter), तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचनम् (singular)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle/emphasis)

• महामतेः: of the great-minded (king)
• महामतेः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (6th/Genitive), एकवचनम् (singular)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages (munipuṅgava addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A flourishing city and countryside under a righteous king: orderly streets, content citizens, sages performing rites, fields abundant—time passing shown by seasonal motifs.

Characters & Entities

• Satyaratha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Righteous rule aligned with dharma naturally yields stability and well-being over time.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is praised in this verse; it is a rajadharma-centered narrative transition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is on ethical governance rather than ritual practice.