Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

चतुर्थो यदि राजेंद्र जायते न कथंचन । क्षेत्रजादीन्सुतानेतानेकादश यथोदितान्

Transliteration

caturtho yadi rājeṃdra jāyate na kathaṃcana | kṣetrajādīnsutānetānekādaśa yathoditān

Translation

ഓ രാജേന്ദ്രാ! ‘നാലാമൻ’ ഏതുവിധേനയും ഉണ്ടാകാതിരുന്നാൽ, ശാസ്ത്രോക്തമായി ക്ഷേത്രജ മുതലായ പതിനൊന്ന് തരത്തിലുള്ള പുത്രന്മാരെ ആശ്രയിക്കാം.

Word by Word

• चतुर्थः: the fourth (one)
• चतुर्थः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; क्रमवाचक-विशेषणम्

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्ययम् (conditional particle)

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम्; समासः: राजन् + इन्द्र (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• जायते: is born; arises
• जायते: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negation particle)

• कथंचन: in any way; at all
• कथंचन: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकार/सम्भावनार्थक-निपातः (adverb: in any way/at all)

• क्षेत्रज-आदीन्: kṣetrajā and others
• क्षेत्रज-आदीन्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्रज (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचनम्; समासः: क्षेत्रज + आदि (तत्पुरुषः; 'and others beginning with kṣetrajā')

• सुतान्: sons
• सुतान्: Karma (Object/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• एतान्: these
• एतान्: Karma (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• एकादश: eleven
• एकादश: Viśeṣaṇa (Numerical qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकादश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचनरूपम् (indeclinable-like numeral stem in apposition); द्विगु-समासः: एक + दश

• यथा-उदितान्: as stated
• यथा-उदितान्: Karma (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + उदित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: उदितान्: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; यथा = अव्ययम् (according as); समुच्चयेन 'as stated'

Speaker

Bhartṛyajña

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ānarta (rājendra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bhartṛyajña enumerates or gestures toward a list/tablet of ‘eleven sons’; the king listens as scribes or attendants note the categories; ritual continuity is emphasized over personal lack.

Characters & Entities

• Rājendra (king)
• kṣetraja
• ekādaśa-putra (eleven kinds of sons)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When direct lineage fails, dharma recognizes substitute forms of filial continuity so that ancestral duties and spiritual passage are not interrupted.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it supports tīrtha-centered dharma by ensuring rites can still be completed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It points to accepted ‘putra’ substitutes (eleven categories) for purposes connected with post-death rites and ancestral obligations.