Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

शासनं रामचंद्रस्य दृष्ट्वाऽन्यैश्चैव राजभिः । पालितं धर्मतो ह्यत्र शासनं नृपसत्तम

Transliteration

śāsanaṃ rāmacaṃdrasya dṛṣṭvā'nyaiścaiva rājabhiḥ | pālitaṃ dharmato hyatra śāsanaṃ nṛpasattama

Translation

ഹേ നൃപശ്രേഷ്ഠാ! രാമചന്ദ്രന്റെ ശാസനം കണ്ടു മറ്റു രാജാക്കന്മാരും ഇവിടെ ആ ശാസനം ധർമ്മപ്രകാരം പാലിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• शासनम्: the edict/rule
• शासनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• रामचंद्रस्य: of Rāmacandra
• रामचंद्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रामचंद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: राम + चन्द्र (कर्मधारय; ‘Rāma who is like the moon’/proper name); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-कृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• अन्यैः: by other
• अन्यैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् राजभिः

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Particle; emphasis)

• राजभिः: by kings
• राजभिः: Karana (Agent/instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• पालितम्: was maintained
• पालितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘was protected/maintained’

• धर्मतः: righteously; according to dharma
• धर्मतः: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धर्मतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Taddhita adverb in -तस्: ‘according to dharma’)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Particle; emphasis)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Adverb: place)

• शासनम्: the rule/edict
• शासनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; पूर्वोक्तस्य शासनस्य पुनरुक्तिः

• नृपसत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपसत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: नृप + सत्तम (तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्राय); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas (Viprāḥ)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Moheraka (under Rāma-śāsana)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājā (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmins emphasize that Rāma’s ordinance was observed; later kings, seeing it, upheld it faithfully according to dharma—evoking a chain of righteous governance.

Characters & Entities

• Rāmacandra
• other kings
• śāsana (ordinance)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True kingship preserves righteous ordinances set by exemplary rulers; continuity of dharma is a royal virtue.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The locale ‘here’ (atra) is sacralized by the claim that Rāmacandra’s ordinance was maintained there across generations.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is on dharmic administration and protection of established śāsana.