Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

तस्मात्कुरुत विप्रेंद्रा यथोक्तं शांतिकं मम । न पुत्रश्च राष्ट्रं च विभवश्च विवर्धते

Transliteration

tasmātkuruta vipreṃdrā yathoktaṃ śāṃtikaṃ mama | na putraśca rāṣṭraṃ ca vibhavaśca vivardhate

Translation

അതുകൊണ്ട്, ഹേ വിപ്രേന്ദ്രന്മാരേ, ശാസ്ത്രോക്തവിധിപ്രകാരം എനിക്കായി ശാന്തികർമ്മം നിർവഹിക്കൂ; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ പുത്രനും രാജ്യവും സമ്പത്തും വളരുകയില്ല।

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (अव्यय/तद्-प्रयोग)
• Form: हेतौ अव्ययप्रयोग (ablatival adverb ‘therefore’)

• कुरुत: do/perform
• कुरुत: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• विप्रेन्द्राः: O best of Brahmins
• विप्रेन्द्राः: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र-इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), बहुवचन

• यथोक्तम्: as prescribed
• यथोक्तम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा-उक्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (adverbial ‘as said’), अव्ययीभाववत्

• शान्तिकम्: the pacificatory rite
• शान्तिकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मम: for me/of me
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• राष्ट्रम्: kingdom/state
• राष्ट्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राष्ट्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• विभवः: prosperity/wealth
• विभवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• विवर्धते: grows/increases
• विवर्धते: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√वृध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

Speaker

Rājā (the King)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Camatkārapura

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, visibly earnest, requests the brāhmaṇas to perform the prescribed śānti; ritual fire altar is being prepared, with kalashas, offerings, and assistants ready, symbolizing the welfare of son and kingdom hanging in balance.

Characters & Entities

• viprendrāḥ (chief brāhmaṇas)
• rāṣṭra (kingdom)
• śāntika

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Personal welfare and public prosperity are tied to dharmic maintenance; rulers must prioritize remedial and protective rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it emphasizes the necessity of śānti for the kingdom’s flourishing.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Execution of the prescribed śāntika rite by qualified brāhmaṇas (viprendras).