Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

ते प्रोचुः संति भूपालाः संख्याहीना महीतले । रूपाढ्या यौवनोपेता हस्त्यश्वरथसंयुताः

Transliteration

te procuḥ saṃti bhūpālāḥ saṃkhyāhīnā mahītale | rūpāḍhyā yauvanopetā hastyaśvarathasaṃyutāḥ

Translation

അവർ പറഞ്ഞു—ഭൂമിയിൽ എണ്ണമറ്റ രാജാക്കന്മാർ ഉണ്ട്; അവർ രൂപസമ്പന്നരും യൗവനയുക്തരുമായി ഗജ‑അശ്വ‑രഥസമന്വിതരാണ്।

Word by Word

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• प्रोचुः: said, spoke forth
• प्रोचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect) परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person) बहुवचनम्

• सन्ति: are, exist
• सन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present) परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्

• भूपालाः: kings, rulers
• भूपालाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू+पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भूः पालयति इति)

• संख्याहीनाः: countless, without number
• संख्याहीनाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संख्या+हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (संख्यायाः हीनाः)

• महीतले: on the earth’s surface
• महीतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही+तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th/Locative) एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महीतलम्)

• रूपाढ्याः: rich in beauty, handsome
• रूपाढ्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूप+आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (रूपेण/रूपस्य आढ्याः = endowed with beauty)

• यौवनोपेताः: endowed with youth
• यौवनोपेताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यौवन+उपेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (यौवनेन उपेताः = possessed of youth)

• हस्त्यश्वरथसंयुताः: equipped with elephants, horses, and chariots
• हस्त्यश्वरथसंयुताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हस्ति+अश्व+रथ+संयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः (हस्त्यश्व-रथैः) + तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (…संयुताः = furnished with)

Speaker

Ministers/counsellors (implied by context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A council scene describing innumerable kings across the earth—youthful, handsome, surrounded by elephants, horses, and chariots—evoking a vast royal panorama.

Characters & Entities

• Bhūpāla (kings, generic)
• Ministers (implied speakers)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It contrasts worldly qualifications (youth, beauty, armies) with the deeper dharmic questions driving the narrative, preparing for a value-based resolution.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is counsel regarding potential royal matches.