Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

राज्यभ्रंशसमोपेता ये दृश्यंते महीभुजः । न तैर्वसुन्धरा दत्ता ब्राह्मणानां धृतात्मनाम्

Transliteration

rājyabhraṃśasamopetā ye dṛśyaṃte mahībhujaḥ | na tairvasundharā dattā brāhmaṇānāṃ dhṛtātmanām

Translation

രാജ്യഭ്രംശം അനുഭവിക്കുന്നതായി കാണപ്പെടുന്ന രാജാക്കന്മാർ—അവർ ധൃതാത്മാക്കളായ ബ്രാഹ്മണർക്കു വസുന്ധര (ഭൂമി) ദാനം ചെയ്തിട്ടില്ല.

Word by Word

• राज्यभ्रंशसमोपेताः: endowed with (i.e., having) loss of kingdom
• राज्यभ्रंशसमोपेताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक) + भ्रंश (प्रातिपदिक) + समुपेत (कृदन्त, उप-√इ (धातु) क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः—राज्यभ्रंशेन समुपेताः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः)

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

• दृश्यन्ते: are seen/appear
• दृश्यन्ते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive)

• महीभुजः: kings (earth-bearers/rulers)
• महीभुजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + भुज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; समासः—महीं भुनक्ति/भुङ्क्ते इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुषः)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करण/सहकारक-प्रयोगः

• वसुन्धरा: the earth/land
• वसुन्धरा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुन्धरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• दत्ता: (was) given
• दत्ता: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु) क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; (अस्ति) इति लुप्त-क्रिया

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: to/for the Brahmins (of Brahmins)
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: Sampradana/Recipient (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• धृतात्मनाम्: of the self-controlled (steadfast-minded)
• धृतात्मनाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृत (कृदन्त, √धृ (धातु) क्त) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः—धृतः आत्मा येषाम् (कर्मधारय/बहुव्रीहि-भावार्थः, प्रयोगे विशेषणत्वेन)

Speaker

Unknown (didactic narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: pārthiva (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two contrasted vignettes: on one side, a ruined king amid deserted palace and broken standards; on the other, serene brāhmaṇas who were not supported; the moral is visually explicit—neglect of dharma leads to collapse.

Characters & Entities

• Mahībhujaḥ (kings)
• Vasundharā
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma links prosperity to generosity; neglect of righteous giving is presented as a cause of decline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is identified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The implied prescription is to give vasundharā/pṛthivī-dāna to worthy, self-controlled brāhmaṇas to avoid misfortune.