Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

परदाररता ये च ये च तस्करवृत्तयः । सर्वे राजभयाद्राजन्मर्यादां पालयंति वै

Transliteration

paradāraratā ye ca ye ca taskaravṛttayaḥ | sarve rājabhayādrājanmaryādāṃ pālayaṃti vai

Translation

പരസ്ത്രീരതരും മോഷണവൃത്തിയുള്ളവരും—അവർ എല്ലാവരും, ഹേ രാജൻ, രാജദണ്ഡഭയത്താൽ മാത്രമേ മര്യാദ പാലിക്കൂ.

Word by Word

• परदार-रताः: attached to others' wives
• परदार-रताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + दार (प्रातिपदिक) + रत (कृदन्त, √रम् ‘रति’) → रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (परदारेषु रताः)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-सम्बन्धक

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-सम्बन्धक

• तस्कर-वृत्तयः: thievish ways / thieves by conduct
• तस्कर-वृत्तयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तस्कर (प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तस्कराणां वृत्तयः)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• राज-भयात्: from fear of the king
• राज-भयात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज (प्रातिपदिक) + भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (राज्ञः भयम्)

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• मर्यादाम्: boundary / propriety / law
• मर्यादाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्यादा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• पालयन्ति: they observe / protect
• पालयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पाल् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/indeed)

Speaker

Counsellors/subjects (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Counselors describe how criminals and adulterers stay within bounds only due to royal fear; the king is shown as potential wielder of danda, yet presently withdrawn.

Characters & Entities

• King (rājan)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

External law supports social morality; when authority is righteous, it restrains harm and protects dharma for the vulnerable.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is specified in this verse; it continues the moral-political instruction within the chapter’s narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it discusses social discipline enforced by kingship.