Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

भर्तृयज्ञ उवाच । स राजा नीतिमान्विज्ञः सर्वधर्मपरायणः । भक्तो देवद्विजानां च सर्वशास्त्र विचक्षणः

Transliteration

bhartṛyajña uvāca | sa rājā nītimānvijñaḥ sarvadharmaparāyaṇaḥ | bhakto devadvijānāṃ ca sarvaśāstra vicakṣaṇaḥ

Translation

ഭർത്തൃയജ്ഞൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ആ രാജാവ് നീതിമാൻ, വിവേകി, സർവ്വധർമ്മപരായണൻ. ദേവന്മാരുടെയും ദ്വിജന്മാരുടെയും ഭക്തൻ; സർവ്വശാസ്ത്രങ്ങളിലും നിപുണൻ.

Word by Word

• भर्तृयज्ञः: Bhartṛyajña (name)
• भर्तृयज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृयज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्तरि/उद्देशे), एकवचन

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

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (सर्वनाम)

• राजा: king
• राजा: Apposition (समानााधिकरण/कर्ता-विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नीतिमान्: possessing policy; prudent
• नीतिमान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नीति + मतुप् (प्रातिपदिक; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (राज्ञः)

• विज्ञः: learned; discerning
• विज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (राज्ञः)

• सर्वधर्मपरायणः: devoted to all dharmas
• सर्वधर्मपरायणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + धर्म + परायण (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (राज्ञः)

• भक्तः: devoted
• भक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-प्राय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (राज्ञः)

• देवद्विजानाम्: of gods and twice-born (Brahmins)
• देवद्विजानाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + द्विज (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्धे), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सर्वशास्त्रविचक्षणः: skilled in all scriptures
• सर्वशास्त्रविचक्षणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + शास्त्र + विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (राज्ञः)

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (assembly/townsmen; implied royal audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A composed, learned king seated in sabhā; Bhartṛyajña (a venerable speaker) praises the king’s nīti, devotion to gods and brāhmaṇas, and mastery of śāstras; attendants and townsmen listen respectfully.

Characters & Entities

• Bhartṛyajña
• Rājā (king)
• Devas
• Dvijas (brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It presents the Purāṇic ideal of kingship: policy guided by dharma, reverence for devas and brāhmaṇas, and śāstric discernment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive praise of the king’s virtues.