Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

राजोवाच । अहं वः प्रकरिष्यामि रक्षां ब्राह्मणसत्तमाः । तपस्थितोऽपि कार्येऽत्र न भीः कार्या कथंचन

Transliteration

rājovāca | ahaṃ vaḥ prakariṣyāmi rakṣāṃ brāhmaṇasattamāḥ | tapasthito'pi kārye'tra na bhīḥ kāryā kathaṃcana

Translation

രാജാവ് പറഞ്ഞു— ഹേ ബ്രാഹ്മണശ്രേഷ്ഠന്മാരേ! ഞാൻ നിങ്ങള്ക്ക് രക്ഷയുടെ ക്രമം ഏർപ്പെടുത്താം. ഞാൻ തപസ്സിൽ നിലകൊള്ളുന്നവനായാലും, ഈ കാര്യത്തിൽ നിങ്ങൾക്ക് യാതൊരു വിധത്തിലും ഭയം വേണ്ട.

Word by Word

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वः: to you (pl.)
• वः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-रूप (Dative/Genitive), बहुवचन; अत्र चतुर्थी (to you) अधिक

• प्रकरिष्यामि: I will provide/arrange
• प्रकरिष्यामि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• रक्षाम्: protection
• रक्षाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणसत्तमाः: O best of brāhmaṇas
• ब्राह्मणसत्तमाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे प्रथमा (vocative sense)

• तपस्थितः: engaged in austerity
• तपस्थितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थित (स्था धातु + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण अहम् इति

• अपि: even though
• अपि: Sambandha/Concession (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (concessive particle)

• कार्ये: in the matter/task
• कार्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Desha-adhikarana (Locative sense/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of place)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (negation particle)

• भीः: fear
• भीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कार्या: to be done, to be made (i.e., should be)
• कार्या: Vidhana (Predicate qualifier/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative) भीः इति

• कथंचन: in any way, at all
• कथंचन: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

King (Rājā)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king, seated or standing in a modest court near a sacred locale, raises his hand in a gesture of assurance (abhaya-mudrā-like), addressing brāhmaṇas who stand with folded hands.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A ruler’s austerity is incomplete without protection of dharmic life; rakṣā of the righteous is a core expression of rājadharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The assurance of protection is tied to establishing a stable sacred community within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual; the practical duty of protection is emphasized as dharmic action.