Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

अथ तेषां तु सर्वेषां मध्ये राजा वृहद्बलः । दशार्णाधिपतिर्भव्यः पत्यर्थं च वृतस्तया

Transliteration

atha teṣāṃ tu sarveṣāṃ madhye rājā vṛhadbalaḥ | daśārṇādhipatirbhavyaḥ patyarthaṃ ca vṛtastayā

Translation

അപ്പോൾ എല്ലാവരിലും ദശാർണത്തിന്റെ മംഗളാധിപനായ രാജാവ് വൃഹദ്ബലനെയായിരുന്നു അവൾ ഭർത്താവായി വരിച്ചത്.

Word by Word

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequence/now-then)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (contextual)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक (emphasis/contrast)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (contextual); विशेषण (qualifier)

• मध्ये: in the midst
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग

• वृहद्बलः: (named) Vṛhadbala / great-strong
• वृहद्बलः: Karta (Apposition to subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृहत् + बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग; कर्मधारय-समास (वृहत्-बलः = great-strength)

• दशार्णाधिपतिः: the lord of Daśārṇa
• दशार्णाधिपतिः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशार्ण + अधिपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दशार्णानाम् अधिपतिः)

• भव्यः: worthy/fit
• भव्यः: Karta (Predicate adjective to subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative adjective)

• पत्यर्थम्: for (the purpose of) a husband
• पत्यर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (अर्थः पुं); चतुर्थी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थ (पत्यर्थम् = for the purpose of a husband)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• वृतः: chosen/selected
• वृतः: Karta (Predicate participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग

• तया: by her
• तया: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग

Speaker

Sūta (contextual narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A courtly svayaṃvara-like moment: among assembled kings, Ratnavatī’s choice falls on Vṛhadbala, the Daśārṇa lord; attendants hold garlands, conches, and auspicious lamps.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Vṛhadbala
• Daśārṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma culminates in a rightful selection—an alliance grounded in perceived auspiciousness and worthiness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it records the choice of the bridegroom.